


Achievnauts

by nescamonster



Series: Nescamonster does stuff [6]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Atlantean, Atlantean Ray, Atlantis, Devil, Devil Michael, F/F, Human Geoff, Human Jack, M/M, Mad Scientist Ryan, Mermaid Meg, Merpeople, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Mythology - Freeform, Octonauts - Freeform, Phoenix Lindsay, Random - Freeform, Sea AU, Underwater, Werewolf Jeremy, halfbred gavin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-19
Updated: 2017-01-02
Packaged: 2018-09-09 18:32:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 34,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8907373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nescamonster/pseuds/nescamonster
Summary: Captain Geoff Ramsey captains the OctoPod, a giant moving aquatic home/research lab. He and his crew of mismatched miscreants must prove cooperation is possible amoung the various species as they carry out their mission.. helping and researching the mysterious occupants of the sea and furthering relations with the atlantean and merpeoples of the deepbasically, my kids been watching alot of a show called Octonauts... I had a dream and here it is. Bit of a stretch but hey, you get to try it out anyway. Plus side, don't think Octonauts has met Roosterteeth yet let alone throwing in mythology. So here we go!Abandoned





	1. Launch

Captain Geoff Ramsey looked up at the Completed Octopod and whistled, thouroughly impressed. The huge dome capsule in the middle was the size of a house and from its multiple arms, smaller domes extended, the glass showing rooms, storage areas, and even some gardens. The giant mechanical legs held the whole thing upright, scaffolding surrounding it as people scurried about preforming last minute stress tests before the Octopod was deployed.

Jack saw his captain and long-time friend from where he stood upon the top of the Pod, calling out orders to his people and smiled as Geoff waved up at him. He waved back and cupped his hands over his mouth, yelling down at his friend.

“What do you think?!” He called and Geoff cupped his hands to yell back.

“You have way too much time on your hands!” Jack threw his head back and laughed at that, before turning and waving at one of his seconds, gesturing he was going down. He got a thumbs up so he started climbing the ladders to meet Geoff who was walking closer to his scaffolding.

“Jack, when you say you’re going to build us a house, you fucking mean you’re going to build a god damn house! Look at the size of this thing!” Geoff exclaimed as he came closer, the enormous moving submarine Habitat that was soon to be home, dwarfing his captain.

“Yep. Completely functional and independent. As soon as we deploy the Octopod, it will be completely self-sufficient.

“One question though bud. Did you have to embrace the Octopus theme?”

Jack chuckled and clapped Geoff’s shoulder once he got groundside and didn’t get any further then that before a flash of light had them turning around.

Gavin, Michael and Lindsay were approaching, Gavin flicking out a polaroid in his hand, the camera around his neck as they looked up and gaped. Gavin was the best informational technological expert Geoff could find not to mention a kind of adopted son. The guy was British but no one held it against him as he looked wide eyed at his new home.

“Bugger me! Look at the size of it!” he cawed and Geoff smiled wider, winking at Jack.

“that’s what I said, gavver’s.”

“Yeah well, I bet it’s going to get pretty cramped once were all in there for months.” Michael said darkly, scratching at his tightly curled horns before crossing his arms as he looked down from the Octopod to glare at Jack.

“You get the schematics I sent you?” the devil from Jersey asked and Jack nodded.

“I may have tweaked them a bit to fit with the design but it’s all installed. I’ll give you the rundown once were inside but the system should work almost exactly like you designed it.” Michael nodded, happy with that, looking back up to the pod, noting where there were hatches in the metal where presumably the weapons he designed would pop out.

Michael was their security expert and in a world at uneasy peace, if anyone attempted to attack the Octopod or its occupants for the information they were studying, Michael would defend them. Not to mention any hostile sea creatures they might bump into. Sharks and giant squid might cause a problem if they antagonise them but no one wanted to be Kraken food and the merpeople were notoriously warlike.

His wife, Lindsay, shoved his shoulder and rolled her eyes.

“Please Michael, as if anyone would attack us on the ocean floor. Now what I want to know is the med bay fully stocked? It’s not like we can go on a run to the local seven elven for Band-Aids.” Michaels job was to cause wounds so it seemed kismet that his wife was there to stitch them up again. The red headed woman had a kind but firm personality and Geoff was under her stern eye as she asked.

“I’m sure all the supplies are in Linds, they wouldn’t want us turning around early after the amount of money spent on this thing.” On that note he turned to jack, head tilted, “actually, that reminds me… Ryan here yet?” Jack scoffed and jerked a thumb at the octopod.

“Oh yeah, he had Jeremy and Ray helping cart boxes of whatever into that mad science lab he wouldn’t let me near. Just demanded the space then kicked me out. God knows what’s gone on in there.” Jack sighed and shook his head as Geoff groaned.

“Oh god, when did he arrive then?”

“Eight weeks ago…”

“Eight weeks!? And you didn’t tell me!”

“What were you going to do about it?”

“I don’t know because you didn’t tell me!”

“He wanted to set up his lab! Bedside’s, you were enjoying your shore leave remember?” he mocked Geoff drunken slur, pretending to be on a phone, “’Unless the whole things rotating down a toilet, I don’t want to hear shit jack. Holidays.’” He mimed slamming the phone down then spread his hands at Geoff who coloured and glared.

Ryan, he had worked with before, the man unforgettable both in his genius and in his tendencies to ignore the laws of man and god alike. A top rate science officer and researcher but even his fiancée, the cryptozoologist and archaeologist Jeremy Dooley couldn’t stop his more exuberant ideas. On a tour of duty with Ryan, he would never forget coming across him arguing fiercely over the side of a ship in the merpeoples native tongue until a coral trident whipped by his head.

Geoff sighed and waved a hand at the ship looking away from jack to his gathering crew.

“How do we get in the thing?” he sighed and Jack walked away, getting them to follow.

“Ryan came up with these little gizmo’s, and beware, once they’re on, they are never coming off.”

“Sounds like Ryan alright.” Michael muttered to his friend and his wife who both chuckled.

Jack led them by the work going on and into a side room filled with supplies. There sitting on a table were little half oval pieces of metal that were as thin as paper and plain to look at. Geoff tilted his head at them, unimpressed when Jack waved a hand over the table.

“Ok, I’ll bite. The fuck are those?” Michael asked and jack pulled back his shirt collar in answer. They reared back for a moment when they saw at the junction between neck and shoulder, a dull light muted by jack’s skin and a metal line sticking out of the skin following Jacks collar bone.

“These, once inserted, are the most useful little fuckers ever. Ryan calls them, Gillies because they function as breathers underwater. Now you’ll have to learn by touch because you can’t see your own but these have a few different uses, some I can’t show you above water.” He let the collar of his shirt hide it again and Gavin and Lindsay exchanged unease glances. Jack picked one off the table and handed it to Geoff who studied it in his hands.

“Atlantean technology huh?” he questioned, turning it over in his palms as Jack handed the rest out.

“Yep. Don’t ask me how Ryan did it, but he has to be the first Non-Atlantean to figure out their technology without being shown it.”

Michael scoffed and poked Gavin with his gillies.

“Bet Ray is thrilled about that.” He muttered and Jack heard it, fixing the security officer with a glare.

“Ray, is perfectly fine with it. Seeing as he’s our embassy to the City. He had to approve Ryan working with the materials before Ryan could even begin.” Jack said warningly Michael putting his hands up. Gavin kicked his shin and glared at him too.

“Forgetting my mother was Atlantean, boi?” He squawked angrily, his Atlantean heritage not overly obvious because of his human father but when he got in water, like Ray, it was more apparent.

“Not at all boi, just I know you wouldn’t get your panties in a wad about it.” He got kicked again as Gavin scoffed. Geoff drew attention back to the matter at hand, waving his Gilly at the second in command.

“OK, these are cute and we all get it, Ryan’s very smart, but how the fuck do they get us in the Pod?”

Jack grinned and now everyone had their gilly went back towards the massive ship and started climbing scaffolding up to the large middle hatch big enough for vehicles to pass through. The crew followed and Jack reached under his shirt collar to where his gilly was implanted and with a whoosh, the hatch opened to reveal a tunnel of metal. Jack grinned at Geoff before he swung off the scaffolding and landed with a thunk on both feet.

“Come on assholes.” He threw over his shoulder and started up the incline. Geoff followed him then after a short scuffle, Michaels feet hit metal. Lindsay then Gavin were in and they had to hurry to catch jack who had walked as far up the incline as he could and gave a small hop to grab the lip of where the tunnel came out into a larger space.

Once he was up he turned around and extended a hand to Geoff, helping the captain up then offering to Lindsay as Geoff got to his feet and looked around. It was like standing in the bottom of a pool, and all around him were submarine vehicles of different colour and design. He walked up to the first, a bulbous one of dark green, laying slightly on its side, the inside compartment that Geoff could see through the glass dark.

“Hello sexy thing.” Geoff murmured to it, placing a hand on the front of it, feeling the cool metal under finger tips. This is why Geoff wanted to captain the Octopod. The chance to explore the deep sea and all its inhabitants with the best technological advances his team could make.

The Gups.

The Gup-A had a design that made it look similar to an anglerfish, its sensor extending from the roof and down near the front of the ship and propelled by fin like appendages. Geoff could hardly wait to pilot it. But he’d have too as he heard a scoff from above.

“About time you showed up.” Came a sarcastic voice from above, making the team look up from the Gups and to a deceptively young looking man who had a slight sheen to his light brown skin and goggle-like glasses making his eyes look big in his face. Ray Narvaez junior, an Atlantean from the south coast of the Dominican Republic, an ambassador and an oceanographer.

“I’ve been here for two nights ago, and all I’ve heard is ‘Ryan no this and Ryan no that.’ Get you pod in order captain.” He sat down and dangled his legs next to the ladder, grinning to take the sting out of his words. Geoff flipped him the finger as he started towards the ladder, Ray chuckling then waving at the younger three.

“Hey lads, Jeremy is already set up. Poor guys completely whipped. Plus side is he did already hook us up in the rec room.” Jack and Geoff left them to explore, Geoff wanting to get out of the Vehicle storage slash garage area and find the last two members of his crew. He did admire the set up once he was above the ladder, a screen of panels and controls lining half the wall. He nodded at it and jack rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

“Yeah, I tried but to monitor all six vehicles I needed to take some space.”

“I like it. Very Thunderbirds esque.” Geoff complemented him and jack coloured again waving his captain through to the halls.

“Soon you’ll know this place like the back of your hand Geoff don’t worry. I put Ryan’s lab in one of the arm pieces,” he dropped his voice lower as they walked even though the rest of the crew had gone a different direction, “That way we can jettison it in case of emergency.”

“good thinking.” Geoff agreed as they came to the Pod side door and opened it. The hall was a tunnel again and on the other side, there was a door closed but noises coming through.

“Rye! I really don’t think we should be doing this!”

“Oh come on, where’s your sense of adventure Lil’J?”

“I agreed to marry and mate with you and I’m about to go off on a yearlong journey under thousands of feet of water! You can’t get much more adventurous then that!”

Geoff and jack exchanged quick looks before powerwalking down the hall and slamming a hand on the door pad, getting it to open. Revealed was Ryan, standing with two beakers in hands glowing unnervingly and his younger fiancée kneeling behind a metal bench, only his eyes and the tips of his furred ears showing. It was clear Ryan had been about to mix something that probably shouldn’t be mixed.

“Ryan! Put whatever those are down!” Geoff barked the moment he saw his science officer. Ryan’s shoulders slumped and he looked put out.

“ah, hey captain Ramsey, didn’t know you’d be here today…” He said sheepishly as his mate stood up huffing a sigh of relief.

“I did try to tell you Rye.” He said and Ryan shot him a quick glare before putting the beakers down and coming around his bench to smile at Geoff, his lab coat already a little worn with acid or scorch marks, the captain couldn’t tell which.

“Ryan, your one smart son of a bitch, but don’t tell me you’re already trying to blow up my ship?”

“Please, it’s kraken Oil and Acetone peroxide, hardly going to destroy the entire ship.”

“Just the arm we happen to be standing in.” Jack said from behind Geoff who was glaring at Ryan. Jeremy shifted now to be closer to his partner and put and arm around the scientist’s waist, werewolf possessiveness needing to show these unmated men that Ryan was taken.

“Hello Captain. Jack.” He nodded to both as Ryan sulked, seeing his plan was now foiled, “I guess if you’re here so are the rest of the lads and Lindsay?”

“They sure are. Think they were checking out rec room.” Geoff said and Jeremy shook Ryan slightly.

“Sweet, we should go say hi to the rest of the crew, hey Rye?”

“Were going to be sharing space with them forever Jeremy, I don’t think we need to see them now.” Came the grumpy reply as his younger mate started to shove him towards the door.

“Trust me to fall for the least social wolf in a pack.” Jeremy grumbled as they passed between Jack and Geoff.

“You knew I was loner when you got into this.”

“I thought you were human when I got into this.”

“At least I won’t stink of wet dog forever the moment we get going.”

The door shut between them and Geoff groaned putting his head in his hands. Jack patted his shoulder and chuckled.

“This is going to be a long assignment, isn’t it Jack?” Geoff moaned. Jack opened his mouth to answer but they both had to jump and flinch at the hiss behind them as the Kraken oil tipped over and started to eat away at the bench.

“Yep. It’s going to be a long one alright.”

 

“Captain Geoff Ramsey, this is your last chance to change your choices for the mission.”

“I stand by my choices Mr Hullum.”

Geoff stood at attention before the board, waiting final approval so they could get underway. Matt Hullum sat in the middle, to his left, Gus sorala and to his right Burnie Burns. These three represented the highest in the human initiative that was funding this co-creature expedition. That said, they were a little nervous at the number of non-humans aboard.

“Look, I know we asked you to vary the crew to satisfy our allies, and the Atlantean and the half bred were good choices a long with the Humans, Jack Pattillo and Lindsay Jones… but the rest…” Burnie said helplessly and Gus broke in.

“Your insane Ramsey. A devil underwater? And a werewolf? How is that going to work?”

Geoff shrugged his shoulders and kept his head high.

“Mr Jones is an unusual case. He had no fear of the water so prominent in the rest of his species. It’s why he was chosen; his speciality is water defensive tactics to take advantage of the lack of fear. And Jeremy Dooley is the foremost expert in cryptozoology which I don’t need to tell to you why that would be useful. Both he and his Mate are fluent in Mermese and the fact he has his Mate aboard will only further keep his other biological urges under control.”

“Yes. Doctor Haywood. He may be human but by all accounts, he is a mad man Captain.” Burnie said seriously, looking over his glasses at Geoff who snorted and broke his control waving a hand.

“Sure, ok, I’ll leave him ashore then. He can go back to the labs here.”

All three men paled and Matt slammed the ink atop Geoff’s orders.

“Mission approved. Good luck Captain.”

 

Coming out of the meeting room Geoff paused when his name was called for Burnie to catch up to him and put an arm over his shoulder.

“Sorry about in there Geoff, you know how twitchy everyone is right now with tensions between us and Atlantis rising.” Geoff shrugged the arm off his shoulder and gave a half-hearted glare at his friend.

“Doesn’t mean you have to play along with that xenophobic thinking burns.” He pointed out and Burns walked with him defending himself.

“Look, I show my sympathies too much and we get overthrown. You’d rather us at the helm then the real xenophobes, right?”

“Not if your too gutless to do anything.” Geoff was jerked to a halt as Burns grabbed his shoulder and spun him, pointing an anger finger into his face.

“Hey I kept quiet about your little medic’s heritage, didn’t I?” Geoff softened and put a hand on Burnie’s shoulder.

“You did. And I thank you for that.”

“Ok. So now were clear I’m on your side, I’m going to let you in on a little secret.” He looked around making sure no one was about, making Geoff do the same as their heads leaned closer.

“We need this mission to go well Geoff. With so many varied humanoids aboard and an Atlantean to boot, this could be the show of cross species co-operation we need to soothe ruffles scales. We are nearer to a war almost as big as the big reveal six hundred years ago.”

Geoff eyes widened as Burnie nodded and pressed their foreheads together briefly.

“Do well buddy and stay safe. Good luck with your collection of misfits.”

“Thanks burns, you too hey? Stay safe that is.”

 

The octopod was launched with much fanfare and everyone sat in their places as Geoff stood before the manual steering. This could all be done by auto pilot, but Geoff would be damned if he wasn’t the one to disengage the docking clips and guide the ship into the water. His crew were arranged around the perimeter of the control room, all before their varied stations. Jack looked up from the main control to nod at his captain. Geoff grinned at him then set his sights on the wide ocean they were facing, suspended by machinery, his fingers brushing against the release.

“Ok crew. Let’s make me regret this.” He said with a chuckle and hit the clamps so the ship hit the water with a splash. Jack’s fingers flew and slowly water ate up their view as the ship sunk, jack letting certain sections flood strategically. Geoff knew underneath his feet; the Gups would start to float as their area became flooded and his smile grew wider.

A flash and Gavin tucked his camera away again, his own long fingers over his station.

“All systems responding captain.”

“No malfunctions or fractures to report captain.”

Ray spun on his chair lazily, smiling at his crewmates.

“For a human fishbowl, this is working out great.” He said happily and jack scoffed from his place.

“Gee, thanks Ray for that ringing endorsement.”

“It’s just so much _water.”_ Jeremy noted uneasily and Ryan, who was strategically seated next to him, took the Werewolf’s hand.

Michael put his hands behind his head, smiling over at his fellow Lad.

“Naww, is wittle pup scared of getting wet?” He mocked then lurched forward as Lindsay reach forward and smacked the back of his head. The devil laughed and Geoff ignored the shenanigans to look to jack again as they touched the bottom of the ocean floor.

“We ready to get going?” He asked and jack nodded. Jack looked proudly at his masterpiece of a machine. Jeremy and Ryan, holding hands, gazed about in wonder at the ocean around them, Ryan for now ignoring the readouts flashing across the screen in front of him.

Michael, when he though no one was looking, rubbed a horn nervously as his wife lay a hand on his shoulder. Gavin turned in his chair and pulled out his camera again, snapping a picture of their captain. Geoff was grinning from ear to ear, his hands on the wheel, his eyes sparkling with a madness that none topside really understood. A madness for adventure.

“First stop, Atlantean Base 34. Next stop, the unexplored deep.” He said to his crew then started the octopod forward off into the sea.


	2. New crew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The crew settle in before first base

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah i just bit the bullet and made Jeremy and Ryan a couple as well as Lindsay and Michael so neither can sneak up on me like they usually do. In case people haven't fully picked up on it  
> Geoff and jack are human  
> Lindsay is revealed below, no surprises what she is though  
> Michael is a demon/devil same thing diffrent name  
> Ray is full Atlantean  
> Gavin is half atlantean   
> Jeremy werewolf  
> Ryan mystery  
> enjoy!

Gavin had to look away as his gilly was inserted by the sure fingers of Lindsay under Ryan’s watchful eye.

“Why do I have to wear one? I don’t need a rebreather, I can already breath underwater fine.” He complained even though he didn’t feel a thing. Ray stood in his sight, leaning against med bay wall and rolled his eyes.

“Please half breed, you can’t breathe underwater so much as you can hold your breath way longer then these humans can.”

“Oi, don’t call me half-breed.” Gavin objected but coming from Ray he knew it wasn’t meant maliciously. Ray may be Atlantean but his parents were pro-human and raised him away from the main city. It was more of a joke between them then a derogatory term.

“Gavin, sit still so it can bond properly.” Ryan ordered testily, his eyes on his precious invention. Lindsay finished moving it into position beneath Gavin’s skin and as she watched, it sprouted up a line along his collar bone and morphed to follow the shape of his neck hollow. A light started to flash then petered out into a constant small glow signalling the bond was complete.

“No matter how many times I see it, that’s still gross to watch Rye-bread.” Lindsay murmured and with a flick of her med tool, healed the slice she had made to slide the Gilly under Gavin’s skin. She had already implanted everyone else, even Ray, the water breather had one due to the usefulness of the device.

It functioned as a tracking and homing device, a voice recorder and a rebreather as just a few different examples of its abilities. Ryan was as proud of it as he would be his first child. He couldn’t help shooting Ray a smug look before he stepped forward and pressed rapidly on Gavin’s skin, activating his unique tracking code so if he was lost, they could find him.

“Ow Ryan!” Gavin squawked and now it was Ryan’s turn to roll his eyes at the brit.

“Please, your shoulder is still numb, you can’t feel a thing. There, all set.” He stepped back and the light dimmed further to show it was now dormant until Gavin activated one of its features.

“You know Ryan, that this is not the intended use you cited when you ordered our metals and technology.” Ray said mildly, stepping away from the wall as Gavin hopped of the bed and pulled on his shirt.

“I did say I was going to experiment. This is an experiment. If they don’t blow up, then it’s a successful experiment.” Ryan spoke in the same mild tone, Lindsay pausing with her tools to look at him and Gavin shoving his head threw his uniform shirt to gawk.

“ _They might explode?”_  He hissed at the scientist who shrugged with a smile.

“ _Might_ explode. Very tiny chance of that though.”

“What are the chances Ryan?!” Lindsay asked harshly, standing by her friend as Ray looked on amused.

“Well its bastardised technology! I don’t even fully understand how it works- “

“YOU MADE THEM!” Lindsay and Gavin shouted together and Jeremy, in his instinctive way to know when his mate needed protection, chose that moment to walk in, Michael just behind him.

“OK, what’s he done now?” Jeremy asked carefully seeing the daggers being shot at the unrepentant Ryan.

“Did you know the Gillies can explode!?” Lindsay asked of Jeremy, not giving him time to answer before she turned back to Ryan, shouting at him, “You should have mentioned that before we went BONDING them to our BODIES!”

Michael stepped forward quickly to put his arms on Lindsay’s, the devil bringing his head close to her cheek to murmur.

“Ryan’s an asshole, but you need to calm down.” Lindsay bared her teeth at Ryan then took a few steadying breaths before she nodded to Michael that she was calmer. Meanwhile, Gavin was trying to see his little light and putting his hand on where the gilly sat under his skin.

“This feels warm… is it meant to feel warm?” he asked a little panicked until Ray stepped forward with a huff and lay a cool webbed hand on Gavin’s shoulder.

“No warmer than usual Gav. I’d say Ryan’s right and it probably won’t explode.”

“there, see? Rays backed me up so everyone can calm down.” Ryan waved a hand at the young Atlantean as his mate sighed and squeezed his fingers over the bridge of his nose. He was helpless when it came to Ryan’s more volatile experiments, all he could do is attempt to keep the man from blowing body parts off himself or others.

“ _Captain Ramsey to med bay. Where the hell are all my people?”_

Geoff’s voice came over coms and Lindsay stepped to the panel to press intercom.

“Everyone’s in med bay sir but were about to leave. Gavin has had his gilly inserted and he’s the last.”

“ _Well hurry your asses up because Jacks cooked a fucking awesome roast and we better savour it before it becomes fish and chips every night.”_

At the promise of food, Jeremy perked up, and Ryan laughed as the werewolf looked to him quickly.

“You’re not going to get murdered anytime soon?” He asked and Ryan shook his head, “Sweet! I’ll be in mess if you need me!”

“Hey wait for me!” Michael called, pecking his wife on the cheek and hurrying after the hungry wolf. Gavin rubbed his shoulder and Ray put an arm around him.

“I’m sure it will be fine Gav. Ryan hasn’t killed any of us yet and it’s already been three days.” He said reassuringly as they left med bay. Ryan tried to leave as well but a hot hand grabbed his wrist.

“Nah-ah mister. You are staying here until I hear how likely these things are to explode seeing as they are sitting _on our necks_.” Lindsay was adamant and Ryan gave her the best puppy dog eyes he could. They didn’t work so with a long-suffering groan he began to explain as simply as he could how the gillies were a blend of human and Atlantean technology and if they do explode, he doesn’t mean fire but just the thing will fracture into pieces.

“But seriously the chances are like 2 percent. We’d have to be really unlucky for that to happen.” He rounded out as he looked into Lindsay’s face sincerely.

 

“ _Fire in medical laboratory. antifoam systems engaging.”_

Said a pleasant robotic woman’s voice as they were eating dinner. They looked up at the announcement and jack answered the woman back.

“Thank you, Sheila.” He called to no one as Geoff groaned and let his head hit the table.

“Your wife isn’t roasting my mate, is she?” Jeremy asked slowly turning his eyes from the roof to the jersey devil beside him. Michael shrugged and jabbed a fork in Jacks direction.

“I’m sure if the fire had spread from her to anything else, Jacks girlfriend would have reported it.” Michael said unconcerned. Gavin and Ray just shared a knowing look and a chuckle before getting back to their own conversation about what they would like to do after they reached Atlantis base. Jack leant over and put a hand on Geoff’s shoulder consolingly.

“You did insist on bringing a phoenix aboard Geoff. We all know why she had to be kept secret. Confined underwater spaces won’t be easy for her.”

“Frankly I’m surprised it took this long for her to combust.” Michael put in from his end of the table. As they were talking the door to the mess opened and a slightly singed Ryan stepped in smelling of smoke and cocking a thumb over his shoulder.

“I’ve been informed by our Medic that I must warn you all that the gillies have a chance of fracturing into lethal shards at any moment. If you wish to have them removed, please report to med bay. It’s your choice.” He said woodenly as the crew grinned at him. Geoff didn’t even raise his head, just shouting from where he had slumped.

“Ryan, you crazy asshole! Why the fuck didn’t you warn us of that before we got them in!?”

“Because the chances are infinitesimal of that happening to be a non-issue.” Ryan said sounding more his regal self as he sat down next to his mate who shoved a plate at him and the cutlery to go with it.

“If my shoulder explodes Rye, I’m haunting your ass forever.” Ray told him from the other side of Jeremy. Ryan nodded his head at the Atlantean and started eating his dinner, so used to being slightly smoking, it didn’t register anymore.

“That’s fair. If my own gilly erupts, I will likewise be haunting the Atlantean who provided the raw materials seeing as it would be a material error not a design one.”

“Pass the buck why don’t you.”

“I will, thank you.”

They all chuckled and no one opted to get the gilly removed even though Gavin went back to fingering the new line of metal coming from his skin. Geoff raised his head and looked to Jack, his second grinning back at him as Geoff looked tired and worn out only three nights into this mission.

“We make it to Atlantean Base 34 tomorrow right?”

“Should do captain. Course, if we had put on the accelerator, we could have been there today.”

“The ship is brand new Jack, I’d rather not put her through her paces just yet.”

“Please, you just want to show her off all pristine and gorgeous to the Atlanteans before you run her into the ground.”

Geoff smirked and his eyes twinkled but he said nothing to that, turning instead to Ray.

“So, looking forward to seeing your people again Ray?”

“Is there a comic con on Base 34?”

“N-no…”

“Then my people aren’t there, are they?” Ray said deadpan and took another bite of his dinner, leaving Geoff confused as to what just happened.

“I for one think it’s top were stopping at Base 34. I heard they have a pod of merpeople that won’t slit your throat on sight.” Gavin said excitedly. Jeremy smiled at him and shook his head.

“It’s a common misconception that merpeople kill on sight gav. They are warlike yes but they only kill stranded sailors if there is no land within a distance they could swim. It’s a mercy thing. Of course, they also kill when offended or threatened so you got to watch your mouth around them you animal.” He joked with a throaty chuckle.

Michael was looking to the door, waiting on his wife but he turned to the werewolf as he paused to eat.

“There’s a story I haven’t gotten from you Lil’J. How the hell did a werewolf learn Mermese?”

“I studied it. Duh.” Jeremy said infuriating the devil with that reveal nothing answer but Lindsay came in, her hair pulled back and her clothes now casual instead of the uniform she was wearing before. Of the fire, there was no sign but she did smell of smoke and when she sat, Michael thumbed away a bit of foam from behind her ear.

“So, the fire system works Jack. Great design, they went right for the cause.” She complemented the man who had built this place. Jack gave her a thumbs up from the end of the table even as Ryan may have inched a little closer to Jeremy at Lindsay’s appearance.

“If we could all not kill each other or blow up the Pod before we reach our first destination, that would be fucking grand.” Said their captain from the top of the table, the crew all laughing at his pained tone.

They were a group of friends having individually worked with each other before but never as a group. The fact that they had made it to night three was impressive with such different personalities and species working together. Geoff was proud of them all even if he didn’t say so. So far everyone was adjusting but only time would tell how they managed their first mission which he would receive at Base 34.

“Well, that was delish Jack.” Gavin said leaning back with a groan, rubbing his stomach, “But I’m not sticking around for desert, I’m going to hit the hay. If this thing kills me I want it to be in my sleep.” He said, pointing at his shoulder and getting a defensive cry from Ryan.

“It only _might_ fracture! _Might_...” Jeremy hushed him as the rest laughed, Gavin getting up from the table. Ray also pushed his plate away and nodded at his roommate.

“Yeah, I’m going to bed too. Night everyone. Sleep tight. Don’t let the water mites bite.” A chorus of goodnights followed the two lads out as they went to bunk down in their pod. Ray needed to sleep suspended in a water tank so as not to dry out his Atlantean skin. Gavin only needed to either moisturise or soak every couple of days, but since the half Atlantean preferred it, he too had a sleeping tank, though his didn’t completely engulf his body like Rays did.

He didn’t have gills.

Jeremy showed no signs of stopping his quest make sure there were no left overs and Michael and Lindsay had fallen into soft conversation so it was Jack who threw in the towel next, getting up and stretching.

“You kids cool with washing up?” he asked and got agreements all around.

“Alright, I’m off to bed. Night everyone. Geoff, you’ll wake me at 0200?” Geoff clicked his fingers at his second and slid closer to the group at the end of the table.

“So, Ryan, since we can play back voice notes on these… does it store music?”

 

Geoff kicked back in the captain’s chair, looking out the glass dome at the sea life gently illuminated by the soft lighting of the octopod. From his shoulder music played, soothing him as he looked out at the living quarter pods floating gently around the main dome.

The Atlanteans had blacked out their glass, Geoff unable to see inside. Michael and Lindsay had there’s dark but hadn’t blacked it out, the soft warm orange glow of their heated habitat a gentle light in the dark. He couldn’t make them out inside but he knew they must be in there.

He wished Ryan and Jeremy would black out their pod, quietly resolving to tell Ryan about it. He could see the couple even in that dark, moving about on the bed that did not look like sleep. He quickly tore his eyes away and saw a light was on in Jacks room, the man still sitting up, reading a book by lamp light.

Experimenting with the gilly, Geoff grinned and traced the pattern he had been taught to radio Jack directly.

“Hey, you should be sleeping.”

“Fuck you captain, I am. Did you need something?”

“Opps, sorry Michael, wrong pattern.”

He tried again and this time when he repeated the line, he saw Jack jump then look over to the main dome. Geoff stood up and moved closer to the wall to be easier to see, waving at his second. Jack waved back friendly then turned it into the finger. He didn’t radio back, just shutting his book, giving Geoff another wave then turning off his light.

Geoff walked the control panel, checking all systems were good before he fell back into his chair with a humph, folding his hands over his belly and looking up into the dark. Geoff had gotten into this line of work for a girl. A smouldering girl with fire in her eyes and a ring in her nose. He had come for the woman, stayed for the sea.

There was something freeing about the briny deep, something wild and untamed. A no man’s land, where anyone of any species could go and be free. The two main seafaring folk didn’t begrudge those who proved they could handle the oceans many moods. Unlike the land where everything was a constant bickering disagreement, out here, he was away from the politics of his race. In this ship, he was captain and his word was final. No simpering to higher ups or compromising for the popularity vote. He spoke an Order, his crew obeyed.

In return, he was happy to give them a chance when others might not have.

He got lost in his thoughts, the night shift dragging on…

 

In the Atlantean room, Gavin tossed and turned in his tank until Ray actually drained his so he could open the lid and sit up.

“Gavin, I can’t sleep with you splashing about.”

“Sorry Ray. I’ll be still.” Gavin said, his voice echoing in the tank. Ray sighed and reached out, smacking the tanks roof release so Gavin was forced to sit up and look at him. Ray raised his brows over his eyes, goggles absent during sleep cycle, silently asking what Gavin’s problem was.

“Ray, I don’t want to get off on Atlantean base.” Gavin admitted quietly, only the dim of their shaded room giving him the courage to admit the hard truth.

“Because your scared they’ll be assholes?” Ray clarified and Gavin nodded, his hair stuck to his miserable face, his skin the same sheen as Rays when exposed to water.

“Fuck ‘em gav.”

“But ray, I’ve lived mostly with humans my whole life. This is going to be the first really pure Atlantean settlement I’ve been too. If the humans are cruel, what about them? Even you call me Half-breed and your my friend.” Ray sighed and tilted a head sympathetically at Gavin.

“You know I don’t mean it, right?”

“I know Ray, it still sucks though.”

“Ok, look I’m sorry. I won’t call you half-breed again. But seriously, I wouldn’t worry about bigots of either species. So, they might not approve. Fuck ‘em. It’s not like we’re going to live on Base. We just stay the overnight and we can even just stay in the octopod if you want.”

Gavin looked over at his roommate at that, his face a little less sad.

“We?”

“Yeah ‘we’. Think I’m going to go chat up the mer-chicks without you at my side? I’ll make a damn fool of myself.”

“No, you wouldn’t Ray.”

“Yeah your right; I’d be a fool whether your there or not. Get to sleep Gavver’s and stop splashing dude.” He lay back and as the tank doors shut again, Gavin could hear the whir of it filling with water. He lay back himself and pressed the inside door control, the water level rising again until it lapped at his ears, warm against his skin.

 

In the heated pod, Michael rolled over and spooned his hot wife. Literally she was burning to touch but luckily his skin was heat resistant. Lindsay could pass herself off as human and has done so most her life. It was a sign of her being comfortable here with this crew that she had a combustion today. Only a light one, her hair and her hands going up. The long strands were fine now, immune to her own fire and they slept on a special heated pad of Jack and Ryan’s combined design.

“Geoff’s a fucking idiot.” Michael yawned into her neck and she giggled.

“Be nice to our captain.”

“Oh captain, my captain?”

“Exactly.” She smiled then it dropped and she held Michael’s arm a little tighter where it was wrapped around her, “He didn’t have to give me this chance you know. He knew that I’m a phoenix and that could have kicked me off the team. Then we’d be apart for a whole year.”

Michael held her a little tighter and nuzzled her neck, careful his fangs didn’t poke too far out and scratch her.

“Never would have happened. I would have refused assignment if you couldn’t come.” He told her seriously and she twisted to face him, framing his face with one slight hand.

“I’m surprised they let you go. After all, a demon isn’t much better than a phoenix underwater.”

“Please. Don’t shove me in a box Lindsay. You know I’m not like other devils.” Michael drawled lazily and she smiled at him, kissing him gently, a bit of heat between their lips.

“I know you’re not like everyone else. It’s why I married you.” She said softly and he puffed his chest proudly as she settled against him for sleep.

 

Jeremy panted against Ryan’s neck, curling his arms around the taller man as he caught his breath and they waited to separate. Ryan groaned against the pillow and said the thought he hadn’t considered before.

“these gillies are going to cause problems if we go face to face.” He complained, kicking himself for not thinking of it earlier. Jeremy moved his mouth so it wasn’t being smothered in Ryan’s skin, speaking right near his ear.

“Yeah? Another possibly lethal problem?” He laughed as Ryan tried to weakly swat him from over his shoulder, missing the wolf who simply shifted his head to lay on the other shoulder.

“Not you too. No not lethal, except maybe to harmony among the crew. I got to warn people to be careful not to activate the gillies during sex.” Jeremy lifted his head up looking down at Ryan’s face as he could see it turned on the side on the pillows.

“are you telling me people just heard us?” he said quickly, worried. He didn’t like people to know how much of his wolven nature came out, sharing that only with his mate whose own unique heritage made it possible to understand.

“Not this time, no.” Ryan reassured him quickly, flicking his eyes over Jeremy’s neck and seeing the dormant light, “but we have to be more careful. If you had bit the other side, you may have activated the defensive programing.”

“Defensive programing?”

“Yeah, it deploys electrically charged needles to your palms so you can simple smack the threat and have it shocked.” Jeremy sighed, dropping his head again into his mate’s shoulder and breathing deep his scent to calm the wave of frustration that washed over him.

“that’s another thing you might want to tell someone before you insist we all get these inserted.” He muttered and felt Ryan roll a shrug beneath him.

“Learn as you go has always worked for me. Besides, if some debris comes out of nowhere and cracks the dome, you’ll be happy its inserted now, you’ll be able to breath when the water rushes in and it will adjust your body temp as needed. Jeremy shuddered at the thought of that much water and as he did, he felt himself pull free, able to roll off Ryan and onto his back with a groan. Ryan shifted so he was arranged over Jeremy’s chest and light fingers scratched the werewolf under the jawbone.

“Who’s my good puppy.” Ryan cooed and Jeremy grinned, folding arms around his mate and wiggling happily.

“I am.” He murmured softly as Ryan smiled above him.

“that’s right you are. And who’s going to leave telling the rest about the gillie’s defences to his mate?” Ryan sugar coated as Jeremy now frowned. A lot more resentful he grumbled.

“I am… If you do it tomorrow before we reach base.”

“Ah, fine.” Ryan grumbled himself and went to stop scratching and roll out of bed but he was caught in strong arms.

“Please don’t stop.” Jeremy begged and with an affectionate sigh, Ryan went back to scratching his fiancée in all the best places.

 

Jack woke up when Geoff radioed him at the designated time. He got out of bed and got dressed robotically before shuffling down to the mess to fix himself a coffee. Once that was done, he felt a bit more awake as he made his way to the main pod and put a hand on Geoff’s shoulder, looking out into the night.

“Anything?” He asked and Geoff shook his head.

“One curious Mako, that’s about it.” He said and got out of his seat with a stretch and a yawn. Jack took his place and smiled as Geoff restrained a glare. He couldn’t resist teasing, rotating the captain’s chair back and forth just slightly as he sipped his coffee.

“Night captain. See you in the morning.” He said smugly and Geoff waved a hand at him.

“Yeah just don’t stink up my chair huh?” he said and as he turned away, jack smiled to hear, “Asshole...” muttered under Geoff’s breath. The soft glow of the night lighting was peaceful and jack smiled upon his work with satisfaction. This had been the biggest undertaking of his career but it was worth it to see it shine.

He was thankful that three years ago, when Geoff had approached him, an old-time friend, he hadn’t put any limitations on what jack could do.

“ _Build us an underwater ship that we can live in comfortably. Maybe design a few gups to go with it or order some from the alliance.”_  Was what Geoff had said to him. Then the Captain had fought tooth and Nail for Jacks right to go with his own design. The Atlanteans were pissed a human engineer had been put in charge of the Octonaut program but as far as Jack was concerned they could suck a dick. They didn’t own ocean travel, as much as their technology specialised in it.

He couldn’t wait to see their shiny faces drop when they parked the Octopod by one of their precious underwater bases.

He sipped his coffee and smiled into the ocean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure how far i'm going with this one, i just write whatever and whenever i feel like. The more kudos and comments i get the more likely i am to countine a storyline because it makes me read back over what i got to see what got you guys commenting :) so if you'd like to see more don't forget to press that kudos!  
> Oh i don't know why but this did post twice as two seperate works so i had to delete one


	3. Atlantean Base34

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the octonauts visit Base 34 and have two very diffrent experiences

Atlantean Base number 34 was the size of a human city, sitting upon the ocean floor. Unlike their cousins, the merpeople, Atlanteans needed to live in water but also needed to breath air and walk around dry. Their Base reflected that, most buildings under the dome of air that they created through generators of their own design. Nicknamed bubble domes by human visitors, there was no glass just Atlantean technology forcing the bubble of air to stay around the city and not float to the surface.

Geoff parked the pod on its stilt like appendages, burying them into the ocean floor near the Base. They would take a gup into the base itself. Jack opted to stay behind with the octopod as did Lindsay, not wanting to expose herself to the Atlanteans. The dry pocket of air that always surrounded her was mostly unnoticed by humans but to the sensitive Atlantean skin, easily picked up. It was why, despite their friendship, Ray and Lindsay didn’t touch often.

Ryan had also wanted to stay with the octopod but Jeremy dragged him before Captain Ramsey who made it an official order that he accompany Geoff to answer any questions the Atlanteans posed about his new invention or the octopod itself. Jack had designed and built it but if anyone understood the technology built into the mechanical marvel, it would be Dr Haywood.

Gavin, Michael and Ray were also going but mostly because they wanted to meet the merpeople pod that lived nearby. Michael knew he was a rarity, maybe even the first demon to visit an underwater base and so he was more reserved then usual. Jeremy was torn between his mate and the lads until Ryan firmly waved him towards the Gup-C.

“Go be a damn puppy. These meetings will only bore you anyway.” He said and Jeremy grinned at him, tail wagging before bouncing off to get into the gup with the lads. Geoff and Ryan had the Gup-A, and they allowed the slightly larger Gup-C go first, its toe line pulled in tight and looking like a small whale as the bulbous vehicle sunk below the water in the launch bay, the lads inside it, to head out through the tunnels.

“Are you sure you know how to drive this?” Ryan asked nervously as the glass sealed and Geoff started hitting buttons.

“Course I do Ryan. I don’t have captaincy for nothing you know.” Geoff said scathingly, checking systems as he powered the propulsion.

“I know, but you got that same glint in your eye that Jeremy gets right before full moon.” Ryan said carefully and his captain grinned at him.

“Let’s go a visiting huh?” he said in a tone that did not bring the scientist comfort. He sat down and buckled in. Geoff checked to make sure Ray had piloted the Gup-C clear and when he got the ok, hit the accelerator.

Ryan cried out as they rocketed down the tunnel and out the hatch, outstripping the easy pace Ray had set his own gup too, zooming by them in the water. Geoff laughed as he spun them around, momentarily making them upside down and whooping as he did a loop. Ryan looked green and held onto his seat with both hands as Geoff enjoyed the freedom of a smaller vessel.

“And they say I’m mad!” Ryan yelled and Geoff laughed harder as he made his way towards the undersea dock they were assigned too. There he had to slow down and become a little more serious, fun time now over before it barely begun. The delegation was waiting for them

 

The lads watched the Gup-A speed by and started to laugh.

“Ryan gets motion sick! Oh, I hope there’s security footage if he throws up.” Jeremy said, showing a distinct lack of sympathy for his partner. Gavin laughed but he also raised a brow at the werewolf.

“I thought you were meant to be all gooey and sickening over your mate or whatever.” He noted and Jeremy shrugged.

“Motion sickness isn’t a danger to anything but his pride. Any way’s, he’s the one who wanted this mission, not me.”

“Water not your style huh Lil’J?” Ray asked from the driver’s seat and Jeremy shrugged.

“I don’t mind it. Living underneath all this crushing weight however, does make me a little nervous. I’m not sure how I’m going to go without long runs.”

“Do circles in the garden Pod, you’ll be fine,” Michael told him, unsympathetic, looking out over the base wonderingly, “So are we going into the base itself or straight to the Merpod?” he asked their driver who nodded towards a further corner of the base.

“Base first. Trust me we do not want to go straight to their living quarters.” He said as he gently guided them towards where they needed to go. Jeremy piped up, nodding his head to Rays words.

“We need an invitation from one of the merpeople at base if we want to go near their living quarters. They are territorial and if we go straight there, then we get to the throat slitting thing Gavin finds so fascinating.” He teased the lads laughing together as Gavin playfully objected.

“Seriously though,” Jeremy continued once they quietened down, “Either let me or Ray do the talking for the first bit.”

“Ray I didn’t know you knew Mermese as well.” Gavin said and ray shrugged ruefully.

“I don’t but since I’m a pretty shiny object, they’ll take an instant liking to me.”

“And since I DO speak Mermese, they’ll appreciate the chance to communicate in their own language.” Jeremy said. Michael touched a horn in a nervous gesture as they went under the Bubble dome and rose up next to a dock inside the air lock.

The glass opened and Ray set the controls to lock to his personal Gilly before they all jumped out onto the dock. A few Atlanteans were about and they all did a double take, focus mainly on Michaels horns or Jeremy’s ears and tail. A murmur rose among the dock workers as Ray lead the way from the dock to the stand at the end, passing other seafaring vehicles on their way and calling over his shoulder.

“Just ignore them. Most of these guys haven’t seen a human let alone this freak show.”

“You’re the freak ray.” Jeremy shot back jokingly, the stares making him nervous to which the Atlantean man grinned back at his friend and winked.

“Oh, I’m king of the freaks Lil’J, I know that.” He said happily then paused by the stand where another Atlantean man stood, his tightfitting clothes near as shimmering as his skin.

“Just parked up my man, going to be maybe two three hours, that cool?” Ray asked him, the man tilting his head at the younger guy then over his shoulder at his companions.

“What party have you brought with you young one?” He asked in a severe tone and Ray looked to his friends then back to the dock keeper.

“the best party dude. Don’t worry, I’ll keep them in check. You know, sort of. We’re Octonauts, approved by the Atlantean council. So, we good here?” he asked and the keeper was slow to answer but eventually nodded. Ray walked away without another word and his friends kept up, crowding close around him.

“What a douche bag.” Michael commented, shooting a glare back at the keeper who was following them with his eyes. Ray waved a hand and sighed.

“Don’t blame him. These guys are small town mentality. Now, if I were looking for a mermaid, I would head over to the chow section. They love Atlantean cuisine, mostly because we cook and they don’t.”

“What do you expect Ray? They can only stay above water for an hour or so before they dry out and die of shock. How the hell are they meant to work fire?” Jeremy growled coming to merpeople defence. Ray snorted and shrugged his lithe shoulders, his goggles glinting in the lights.

“Not my problem. Bedside’s, my people can heat food sure but had one fish fry, had them all. Now a burger, man that’s what I’m going to miss from mainland.” They approached a building set against ocean rock, the platforms leading to the entrance. They didn’t have to go inside however as they spotted two mermaids lounging and playing by the door, food on the platform as they ducked to and fro beneath the water then back for a bite then out again.

“Remember, they are going to be shy so don’t- “Jeremy was mid warning when suddenly a splash of water signalled the arrival of one of the mermaids by their feet, still a distance away from where the mermaids had put their food.

“What are you?” she asked in an amazed tone, gazing up at the gathered Octonauts. Her hair was tied back from her face, a deep purple and her skin had a similar sheen to Rays except hers were more obviously tiny scales. Across her cheek bones, her collar bones and her arms, there were purple tracings in scaling and her eyes were a shining hazel. She wore a corset made of some foreign material that clung as tightly as Atlantean clothing.

“You are surface dwellers? Humans? I didn’t think humans had horns.” She continued speaking and in a moment, the second one broke through the surface, folding her arms onto the platform and gazing up at them as well. She was of different colouring, her hair blonde but the highlighting scaling a light green.

“What are these? Atlantean? Are these humans?” she asked her own questions, Jeremy mumbling a little sourly from the back of the group.

“So much for shy.”

Gavin came forward and knelt down to be closer to their eye level, Ray putting a webbed hand on his shoulder.

“Hey, I’m Gavin. I’m a partial human. This here is my boi Micool. He’s a demon and standing behind him is Jeremy, a werewolf. Ray you already can see is an Atlantean, just like everyone else around here.”

“I’m Meg and this is Barbara.” Said the purple one, introducing herself and her friend as she smiled up at Gavin, the half Atlantean noting her teeth were fanged behind her pink lips, “We’ve never seen such strange creatures before.” She told him and he smiled back at her, all charm.

“Well half of us have never seen a mermaid before so I guess we’re even.”

“You have never seen a mermaid before?”

“well now I’ve seen two beautiful mermaids so I’d say this was an interesting day for us both.”

Jeremy sighed and exchanged a look with Michael who rolled his eyes back and shook his head, unintendedly drawing the blondes attention.

“Those horns, are they really coming from your head?” she asked as meg and Gavin started speaking together, exchanging stories. Michael reached up and stroke one as he nodded, Ray sighing as Gavin sat and put his legs in the water, talking with the mermaid happily. Jeremy was bored and he touched rays shoulder, gesturing he wanted to go inside.

“Hold up Lil’J, give me a sec.” Ray asked him then he bent over to smile at Meg.

“can you give us a second? Just want to get his order and we’ll bring our food out to here.” Meg nodded and grabbed Barbara, both girls disappearing down into the water and within seconds popping out by their own lunch.

“Gavin, be careful alright? If you offend her, she’ll pull you in and rip out your throat if you don’t drown quick enough.” Ray hissed in his friend’s ear and got waved off.

“Please ray. I got this. Bedside’s, I like my girls with a little fire to them.”

Michael sat crossed legged beside and a little behind Gavin, looking up at Ray with a resigned look.

“I’ll watch him. If he pisses them off, I should be able to grab him before they take him under. If not, I can activate the gilly.” Gavin clicked his fingers at Michael then pointed a finger gun at Ray.

“Micool’s right. If they get grabby, I can just give them the old electric shock hands, right?”

“Sure, cause that’s just what we need. Fried mermaid on our first stop.” Ray said sarcastically, but let them be, Lil’J walking with him towards the food place. Jeremy was grumbling quietly under his breath and as they approached the door the mermaids were carefully transferring their food over to where the other Octonauts sat, putting bowls on their belly’s and swimming on their backs like otters.

“Now there’s why I agreed to this mission when Ryan asked. My knowledge of Merpeople are limited to study and the pod that migrated to the cove near the forests where I grew up.” Jeremy stopped his grumbling long enough to nod to the mermaid’s behaviour.

“I didn’t know that’s how they transferred food around.”

“Only food that would be gross soggy.” Ray commented wryly and winked at his friend, putting a hand on the door pad so it would open, “So if you don’t know much about mermaids, how come you speak their language?”

“Hey, I know lots about merpeople! I just didn’t know that…” Jeremy said defensively then paused as they stepped inside, everyone falling quiet to stare. There were a few Atlanteans gathered around standing tables, and a small pool in the corner leading outside by the fact there were another two merpeople, one male, one female torsos above water.

Ray lead Jeremy straight to the counter where there was a giant steaming pot behind an Atlantean who was clearly the server.

“Four bowls my man.” Ray said and stepped between the server and Jeremy, to bring attention to him. As he did, one of the Atlanteans, a woman with her thick strands of hair tied in a tight bun stepped away from the table and closer to Jeremy.

“Hello. I’m sorry to be rude, but I must know… what are you?” she asked wonderingly and Jeremy raised both hands in the Atlantean greeting, getting a surprised murmur from the crowd as the women brightened and placed her palms against Jeremy’s.

“I’m Jeremy. A Octonaut and a cryptozoologist.” He smiled at her and she giggled, taking her hands back after a long moment.

“I meant what kind of surface dweller are you? I’ve never seen appendages like yours.”

“These?” he gestured up at his ears and smiled around at the curious Atlanteans, most unfriendly but the younger ones closer to his age seemed more curious then disapproving.

“These are my ears. See, since they stand up from my head and funnel down, they can catch more sound.” She nodded fascinated while Ray rolled his eyes and put an elbow on the bench, putting his head in his hand as Jeremy made a new friend. He just didn’t understand what it was about Jeremy, but he was so approachable. It made the antisocial man a little jealous even as he was relieved he didn’t have that effect.

“Can I touch that?” a small voice asked and Jeremy twisted to see an Atlantean child pointing at his tail as a parent moved forward to snatch them back. Jeremy smiled at the parent and got down into a squat, putting his hands up to greet him.

“Hello there, what’s your name.”

“Pieter”

“Hello Pieter. I’m Jeremy. This is my tail. It’s covered in Fur. Do you know what fur is?” The boy shook his head as his parent smiled a little condescendingly above his head. Jeremy explained fur and brought his tail around so the child could stroke it, even allowing first the parent then others to come forward and experience the unusual texture.

“Your friend is unusual.” Said the first women who approached Jeremy, coming to stand beside Ray.

“Yeah, he’s different alright. You should see the rest of them.” Ray muttered sarcastically then sat up a bit straighter as he realised who he was talking to. She smiled at him and tilted her head at him.

“Rest of them? You have more surface dweller friends?”

“Ah yeah. We’re the Octonauts. You probably haven’t heard of us yet but it’s a new thing the Council and the human alliance are trying. Co species co-operation on a mission of peace.”

“Sounds like a worthy contribution.” She said softly, smiling at him and making his stomach turn nervously as he felt himself flush at the praise. He lifted a hand and rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

“I guess it’s pretty cool. I’m oceanographer for the crew. Make sure these surface dwellers don’t get lost in the sea.”

“Here’s your bowls.” The server cut in and slid the bowls done to ray who cleared his throat then whistled at Jeremy, the werewolf’s ears twitching on his head to the delight of the group and he looked over at his friend. Ray picked a bowl up and lifted it to show they were done and Jeremy nodded, starting his goodbyes.

“Your leaving already?” the girl asked and Ray nodded giving a small smile.

“Sorry but we got hungry crewmates waiting outside. I’ll catch you later?”

“I’ll be here Octonaut. Good luck wrangling surface dwellers.” She winked at him and with a giggle she moved away, making room for Jeremy to take her spot, the two watching as the women greeted the merpeople then dived into the pool, the two merpeople following her down, their empty bowls left on the floor to be collected.

“Who was that?” Jeremy asked, taking a bowl in each hand. Ray stared at where she had left, still feeling warm and nervous inside.

“No idea, I didn’t ask her name. But I liked her.”

They took the bowls of fish fry and moved towards the door, Jeremy pausing to tickle the curious child with his tail and smile at their parent.

“Bye Octonaut. Nice to meet you.” Variations called out from Jeremy’s new fan base as old timers sulked on the sides. They left to find Michael sitting alone on the dock and Gavin in the water participating in a water fight with the two mermaids. Jeremy groaned to see it and muttered to ray.

“He’s going to get himself killed.”

“yeah well, maybe he’ll die happy, the idiot.” Ray murmured back then raised his voice, “Oi! Grubs on!” Michael perked up from where he was leaning back on his hands and waved, Gavin turning in the water to look then having a cry of surprise cut off as Barbara dunked him under then moved away laughing as he came back up, spluttering and shaking wet locks from his face.

“Gavver’s bring it in!” Ray called and Gavin started swimming for the dock again, his fingers sprouted webbing since he had been exposed to water.

“Wonder how Rye and Geoff are going.” Jeremy said to Michael as he handed the devil his bowl of Atlantean food. Ray stood by the dock and helped Gavin up before giving the wet man his bowl of food, the two the same level of shimmer now that Gavin was wet. Michael looked at them and noted that the purple mermaid, meg was leant up on the dock again, chatting to the two.

“Hopefully going as good as us. After all Rays warnings, I thought we’d be putting up with more assholes then we have.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean. They mostly seem more curious than anything else and the ones who don’t approve of surface dwellers kind of sit back and keep their opinions to themselves.”

 

“Go back to the dirt surface dweller.” A man hissed as Ryan and Geoff passed. Ryan frowned, ready to turn and retort but his captain shook his head.

“Leave it. He’s not council so who cares.” They were walking along the ocean floor, this area made to stand directly on the sandy bottom. The wider spaces meant a market had sprung up and they wove threw the crowds towards the main buildings carved into the undersea caverns in the rock face. For the most part they were left alone but there were occasional comments. Here in the main hub, tensions were higher than the outskirts of the base.

These people were more aware of the political tensions between humans and Atlantis.

Ryan and Geoff were clearly not Atlantean, their skin dull and fingers unwebbed. Their hair was much finer then the sea folk’s thick strands and no gills fluttered at their necks. Added to that, their uniforms were made of a different material to the Atlantean clothing, both men in faux cotton uniforms rather than their wet suits for this meeting.

Thus, they were the subject of stares both curious or hostile. Captain Ramsey kept his head up high and Ryan stuck to his side as they made their way through the crowd. They had parked the gup and had spoken with the delegation that had waited for them. 

They had been guided from there to a meal to share with the Atlanteans. They frustrated the humans by refusing to talk about the mission or acknowledge the Octopod itself. Instead they wanted to know Captain Ramsey’s opinion on the human oil drilling that was going on in a contested territory. Geoff had to duck and weave the political questions, stating he had no knowledge or say about what the higher ups decided. His world was his ship and his mission of peaceful research.

Ryan stayed quiet not wanting to draw attention to himself. He didn’t know if his reputation proceeded him but the Gillies were not the first invention he had made from Atlantean technology. They didn’t like a human could understand their more advanced materials and techniques.

They had been shuffled along, pointed to the council building and abandoned to make their own way forward.

“Friendly group.” Ryan had muttered to his captain who had scoffed.

“I take it you haven’t been around Atlanteans much?”

“Oh, I have, they just get nicer each time I do too.”

 Geoff chuckled and they had made their way forward. Now they had made it to the doorway into the main council building where Geoff cursed quietly. He reached forward and touched the water floating as a wall inside the doorway, drawing back wet fingers.

“You’re kidding. The council work in flooded buildings?” He muttered to Ryan who shrugged.

“No problem for our gillies Geoff. Though were going to be soaked when we walk out.”

Geoff rolled his eyes at his scientist then sighed, reaching up to his shoulder.

“Well if we had to test them, I guess here’s the place to do it.” Ryan lifted his own fingers and came closer to the wall of water, standing before it. He stood a little side on so Geoff could see the pattern he traced. As Geoff watched the dull light that was hardly noticeable flared brighter and turned a deeper yellow.

Then he watched and felt sick as something moved under Ryan’s skin, shifting to his throat and two small cylinders popped out either side of Ryan’s Adams apple and the scientist stopped breathing for a moment until he stepped forward into the water. Once in the water, bubbles trailed from his mouth and one side of his neck until it ran out. He turned, floating off the floor slightly and smiled at Geoff gesturing for him to join him.

“No. No way. That looked gross!” Geoff said, shaking his hands and taking a step back. Ryan rolled his eyes and reached out, grabbing Geoff’s arm and yanking him into the water, the other hand quickly tracing over his captain’s collar bone.

Geoff automatically stopped breathing when the water hit his face but he spluttered as he felt a movement and a constriction around his throat. There was a small little prick of pain either side of his neck and he refused to let go of the air in his lungs.

“Geoff, just breath out as normal and calm yourself as your breath in. It takes some getting used to but I promise you won’t drown.” Ryan’s voice sounded strangely and Geoff realised it’s because it didn’t come from his moving mouth but from his gilly.

Geoff glared at him blearily and Ryan grinned at him as his captain let out his breath. It was the strangest sensation as he felt it filter through whatever had stretched itself through his oesophagus and air escaped his mouth and from the side of his neck. When it was all gone, he kept his eyes on Ryan and took a cautious breath in.

The hardest part was to try to breath normally and not swallow the water rushing into his mouth. Somehow his lungs filled with air not water and when he lifted fingers he felt that water was being expelled from his neck and the scientist grinned at him.

“There, see? It filters the oxygen from the water and ejects the liquid before it reaches your lungs. A thicker way to breath but acceptable. I’ll look into something for your eyes when were back on the pod.” Ryan’s own eyes were covered by a second transparent eyelid, one of the perks of his condition that he only used because it was only the captain around. Geoff wished to tell Ryan he was an asshole but he didn’t know how Ryan was speaking.

Ryan seemed to guess what Geoff was thinking and tapped his throat lightly.

“The gilly picks up the vibrations and converts it to the most likely words you were trying to form. Sucks if you wish to talk gibberish. Look. Blast a dig yap a the uniform.” Ryan chuckled but that wasn’t converted, just watching him going through the motions, “That was me making random noises.”

“Your… a… genius…” Geoff started out cautiously, forming the words and hearing it come from his gilly was beyond strange, “Also an asshole. Ok, let’s get going. We got a meet to get too.”

Ryan guided his captain through the halls, better able to see and more comfortable with the Gilly breather. Geoff just concentrated on not feeling like he was drowning and familiarising himself with the breather. By far the most useful part of the technology wasn’t the rebreather but the fact it kept his temperature just right despite the freezing water pressing in all-around. Geoff was actually quite comfortable as they pressed forward, following the signs.

They passed a few Atlanteans and even a merman, the Atlanteans walking on the floor able to offset the rise due to the denser bodies and their swim bladders. They smiled and laughed to each other as the humans swam by, Geoff grinning at them knowing how silly they must look to the underwater denizens.

“We should have worn our sea suits Rye.” He called to Ryan, his gilly picking up he wanted his voice raised. Ryan turned back to his captain and gave a lazy shrug, turning over onto his back and gently swimming backwards.

“I didn’t know we were going for a dip. Did you?”

“No, but maybe hindsight we should have expected it.”

“Well I think it’s a slight.” Ryan pointed out and Geoff increased his kicking to come alongside his science officer.

“What makes you say that?”

“Well if you look at the walls, you’ll see this isn’t a normally flooded area. These walls are completely clean. If this was a normal swim hall, there would be build-up.” Geoff ran a hand and sure enough only rock was under his fingers.                He frowned and could just make out Ryan raising his brows as he rolled back and kicked forward. Geoff shut his eyes trying to squeeze the sting from them as Ryan turned a corner and Geoff followed, watching as Ryan stopped and got his legs underneath him again.

“This is it Captain.” He said and waited until Geoff was upright beside him.

“Empty all the water from your system, breath out hard as you retract the breather.” Ryan instructed and did his own, slowly so Geoff could copy the movement. He could see Ryan’s stomach contract in as the science officer breathed out and he stepped out of the water and into air once more.

Geoff made the same pattern and blew out hard as he felt the odd pressure retract from his throat. He stepped out onto dry land and water dripped from the cylinders at his neck. Once the water was out he breathed in and cool air now was odd to his taste. The salt in his mouth making him smack his tongue a few times.

Ryan had smoothed back his hair, more water pouring from his clothes and Geoff felt when pipes retracted and morphed back towards his shoulder, fluid metal that only the Atlanteans and apparently, Ryan knew how to program.

“Greetings. Welcome to our chambers.”

As the Octonauts dripped, they looked over to see a similar set up to human board rooms, one side of the Rock table lined with Atlanteans and at the end, a pool that came up past the floor, where a merman could join the table, his long brown tail visible through see-through walls.

Geoff felt like a drowned cat but he put his shoulders back and strolled forward like this was the entrance he had wanted to make.

“Glad to be here. I’m Captain Geoffrey Ramsey and I’m here to declare the Octopod and It’s Octonauts ready for any duty.”

“Good. Because we have an assignment for you.”


	4. Colchian translation, gaint snake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their first adventure! The octonauts have their first mission and they don't start out easy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So done, i got it out of my brain! i liked this little adventure though so we'll see if they countine on adventures. Send me comments with any seacreatures, real or mythilogical you'd like to see them deal with and we'll see what comes up. For now anyway, this is all i had plan wise except a short little side story abut Ryans condition and Jack finding out.  
> Enjoy their adventure!

“so, their trying to get us killed before our mission really even begins.” Jack muttered darkly, sitting with arms folded near the head of the table where Geoff was explaining their mission. The whole crew was gathered, in uniform, in the mess hall as the captain showed the data he had been giving projected behind him. He narrowed his eyes at jack and pointed up to the projection of their destination.

“Ok, maybe they are but jokes on them. We have two heat resistant crewmembers and an expert on this thing that’s making itself home. Jeremy?”

“I wouldn’t say expert Geoff… I mean I’ve studied- “

“Just shut up and tell us what we’re dealing with.” Geoff cut him off and sat down, the werewolf getting up with a heavy sigh and moved to the projection, skipping the Data on how the creature settling into the dormant volcano near a Merpod caverned home could be a threat to them, and settled on a few pictures that had managed to be taken.

“Ok, so from what we can see and the behaviour described my best guess is it’s a Drakon Kholkikos or more commonly known as a Colchian Dragon.” Ryan raised a hand and his mate nodded to him.

“Isn’t that the serpent from the Jason and the golden fleece story?” Jeremy clicked his tongue and pointed to Ryan with a smile.

“Sure was. Though that was a myth and not reality. As far as we can tell, no skeletons grow from this ones planted teeth and it wasn’t born of the gods but of a big motherfucking monster of a mother. It’s a flesh and blood creature just like us.”

Geoff waved a hand at his cryptozoologist wanting him to hurry it up.

“Right, so anyway, it’s resistant to heat and can hold its breath for hours. Our best chance to shoo it out would be when it surfaces for air. Otherwise we’ll be going into the volcano itself and that water is boiling as Ray could tell you.”

“Yep, it’s hot all right.” Ray piped up and Jeremy flicked his ears as he looked to the Atlantean who just grinned at him.

“thanks Ray. Very informative- “

“Live to please Lil’J.” Ray cut across the sarcasm brightly. Gavin slapped a hand on the table then spread them out in a questioning gesture.

“Excuse me but why do we care if a giant munging snake wants to curl up in the warm water? Someone want to explain that?”

Geoff got up to stand by Jeremy, clicking through until he had the core mapping of the area provided by Ray, the cavern systems clearly interconnected.

“Because it’s threating the Merpod settlement. There’s about two hundred and fifty merpeople who live in that ecosystem and the thing is a danger. They can’t nest in the caverns if they don’t know when it might appear, hungry and hostile.” Geoff shuddered as he clicked back to a photo of a blurred snakelike head, a single eye flashing, a dark shadow against the glowing heated rocks that was the backdrop of the picture, “Plus it’s a big dirty snake so I’m ok with serving an eviction notice.”

“So, like I said, the Atlanteans are trying to kill us.” Jack reiterated getting another glare from his captain. Michael stood up suddenly hands spread on the table, leaning forwards and looking around at everyone.

“It’s just a fucking snake. Let’s just blow it to kingdom come and problem solved. I’m sure the merpeople will like the free food.”

“We can’t just kill it Michael. It’s endangered. Since the big reveal of the supernatural world to the human one, people have hunted it, believing the stories about its teeth. No wonder this one is trying to make itself home here. They aren’t meant to be sea snakes but it must have been driven from the land.” Jeremy said passionately leaning on the table himself, his tail lashing, “We have to drive it away from the encampment sure, but we should do what we can to make sure it survives.”

“Great, so it can make more enormous fucking beasts…” Geoff grumbled then sighed speaking louder to his crew, “Jeremy is right, this is a test of our abilities. If we kill the thing, then the Atlanteans will have a stepping stone for more human brutality. So, we need to do this peaceful.”

“I think, if Jack and Jeremy help me, I should be able to come out with a transmitter of some kind that could irritate the beast into leaving.” Ryan volunteered and Geoff nodded.

“great. Do that then. We should arrive at the dormant volcano in two days. You guys have until then to come up with something. Dismissed.” Jack got up and joined Ryan and Jeremy, the three talking in detail as they walked out of the mess, presumably towards Ryan’s lab.

Ray got up and stretched, heading into the kitchen where the sounds of him rummaging through the cupboards sounded, Gavin wandering over and leaning across the bench to chat to his friend. Michael gave Lindsay a quick kiss then joined his friends on their raid of the snacks, Lindsay going up to Geoff who was turning the projector off and pocketing the data chip.

“Captain?” she approached and he grunted an acknowledgment, “You aren’t really going to send Michael and I into the volcano, are you?” she asked and Geoff straightened up and put his hands on his hips.

“I might. If I have too.”

“I’m a medic sir, not a field agent.”

“Your also heat proof and can swim in lava. If I need you to go, you’ll go.” Geoff said firmly then softened a little, putting a supportive hand on her shoulder, “You’ll be with Michael if you do have to go and I don’t even know yet alright? We’ll see what’s going on when we get there, and go from that point ok?” She nodded and brushed her hair back from her face and tried to still her nervous stomach.

 

In preparation for the mission, Ray was pouring over maps of the area in the library room in the main pod. Since paper was a human invention, the Atlantean maps were different, carved into sheets of shale and so needed physical space in the octopod. They had a few basics such as used in Geoff’s presentation, but the detailed mapping was all here, including tides, currents and rips.

“Hey Ray, how’s it going?” Jeremy came in, looking for his own research books that were stored here.

“Fine. Hey, did you guys get a prototype yet?” he looked up, his glasses glinting at the werewolf who was thumbing through a book only to replace it and grab another.

“Sort of. They managed to give me a headache anyway. Between Ryan and Jack, I think they’ll be able to get something for the captain by tonight.” Jeremy said mildly, his ears twitching in remembered pain before he looked up and grinned at ray, “Maybe you shouldn’t be in the water when they set it off though. The device sends a vibration through the water that should make the Colchian Dragon uncomfortable enough to leave. It may also piss off the Pod of merpeople but we should be able to explain before we set it off.”

Ray straightened up, cracking his back after being bent over tidal shifts for an hour and sighed out long.

“Yes, because they are an approachable and adaptable people.” He said scathingly, Jeremy chuckling then giving a happy exclamation as he found what he was looking for and marked the page, shutting the book with a snap and putting it under arm. He came close and put a solid hand on Rays shoulder, looking down at the oceanographers works, the notes he was carefully taking.

“this the volcano?” he asked and Ray nodded. He pointed at the Atlantean writing in the top corner and emitted a high warble that lowered into a bubbling growl. Jeremy grinned at him and smiled wider.

“mount Etipos huh? You been there before?” Ray shook his head and ran a hand through his hair giving a sigh.

“I got a cousin who’s been but the Pod that lives there aren’t big Atlantean fans.”

“Let’s hope their Octonaut fans then.” Jeremy said and gave ray another pat before turning and walking out the door. Ray watched him leave then with a groan, bent back over his work. He was a little impressed Jeremy had known Atlantean dialect. Ray himself wasn’t fluent, his parents raising him away in a human populated area and insisted he learn English as his first language. Still Atlantean was close to mermish so maybe it shouldn’t be that surprising.

 

Meanwhile across the pod, Geoff was sitting in the control room, the automatic system guiding them using a deep-water current to increase some distance and give the engines a break. Jack had designed the whole thing to harvest any energy it could come across. When the spokes buried into the ground, it absorbed energy from the earth or when they brushed the surface, they used solar energy. He wished to avoid human oils as much as possible, and so when there was a strong current in the direction they needed, the octopod would power down and let the water take it where they wished to go.

He had his hands behind his head, watching the other creatures caught in the current, amused by how quickly they accepted the octopod as a non-threat. Small fish swam in schools and larger fish circled the pods arms. For a time, there was a large sea turtle cruising with them but that had dropped away from the current to wherever it wished to go.

“Sure is beautiful.” Gavin remarked, coming up from a below deck and putting his hands in his pockets. Geoff looked over his shoulder at him then back up at the sights.

“Sure is gavver’s. I knew it would be.” He replied, the light from the sun dimmer down here and casting a soft blue glow through the water.

“Makes you think what we may find down here. Even the Atlanteans haven’t explored everywhere.” Gavin remarked as he came closer and took his own seat, just aside and down from the captains up the centre front. Geoff looked over at him again and frowned, cocking his head at the closest chair, Jacks, practically next to his own.

“Sit up here and talk to me gav. Jack won’t mind I’m sure.” He scoffed to himself as Gavin got up and resettled in jack’s seat, “And if he does I’ll order him to get over it.”

“Your liking being captain aren’t you Geoff?” Gavin laughed at Geoff’s smug expression. Geoff laughed and nodded, grinning wide.

“Yeah, I am. It’s nice not having to obey orders from assholes.”

“Just give orders like an asshole.” Gavin remarked cheekily and then cried out when Geoff tackled him out of his seat, the two laughing and wrestling as Geoff tried to stick a licked finger in Gavin’s ear.

“say I’m your captain!” Geoff called as Gavin wiggled below him, trying to get away.

“Never!” Gavin laughed, shoving at Geoff’s arms, getting them away from his face as he spluttered.

“Figures. We’ve been working our asses off and they’re playing like children.” Jacks amused voice broke through the chaos and Geoff sat up, using one hand to shove Gavin’s face back down before the Half human sat up beside him. Jack and Ryan were paused in the middle of the control room, Ryan’s arms cradling a metal pole half the length of his body with some sort of case attached to the end.

“Hey! I’m working. I’m putting little mutineers in their place.” Geoff said defensively. Gavin opened his mouth to also retort but squawked and flailed away when Geoff took advantage to finally get a wet finger in his ear. The captain laughed as he got to his feet, wiping his hand and Gavin pulled himself upright on a chair, desperately wiping inside his ear.

“So, what have you got for me?” Geoff asked, becoming more serious as he re settled in his chair and waved his engineer and science officer over. Ryan presented the pole to the captain who didn’t look overly impressed but he also remembered what the gillies can do and they had been plain as well.

“This is a Vibrating Flower.” Geoff looked up sharply at the name, fighting the chuckle that came to his lips, Gavin not even trying to hold back, just bursting into giggles. Jack sighed and Ryan looked defensive.

“What?”

“Vibrator Ryan?” Geoff said humorously and Ryan nodded, eyes still furrowed.

“Yes. It’s what it does. See we just plant this where we want it,” he gestured to the bottom and mimed stabbing it in, “Then someone just activates it by pressing this switch right here. The cup retracts and these ‘petals’ unfold. See?” he twisted the top, bypassing the switch to manually unfold the cup and pull out a long strip of serrated metal that did resemble a petal. He ran a finger down the middle of it and Geoff could see there were small holes in it and the whole petal was almost as long as Ryan’s arm.

“So, when it’s activated, the petals vibrate and it will send those vibrations through the water for some distance. From what Jeremy told us, this thing is going to hate the setting we have it on, it’ll hurt its sense of direction. It won’t know up from down and will only know one direction…away from the Flower.” Jack threw in his explanation as Ryan carefully refolded the petal and closed the cup.

“So, we’ll have a pissed of snake the size of three men hurrying as far from that thing as it can get?” Geoff asked and got nods in return, Ryan smiling proudly.

“Ok, what then?” Jack knew this question had been coming but Ryan’s face dropped.

“What do you mean, ‘What then?’. Then we don’t have a threat to the Pod sharing quarters.” Ryan remarked and Gavin drawled from his station, his head lolling over the back of his chair to look at his crew.

“I think what the captain means is; this gets the brute out of the tunnels sure, but then we have a ruddy snake that’s got one hell of a headache now out in open water. Probably near the octopod itself.” Geoff pointed at Gavin then looked back at the two and their invention.

“Exactly. What are we going to do once it’s out?” Jack shrugged and took the Flower from Ryan to tap it against Geoff’s forehead.

“That, dear captain. Is your problem. You asked us for a way to get it out that didn’t involve waiting for it to come up for air. We did that. It won’t want to go back into the tunnels once that thing is activated, I can tell you that.”

“Well great…” Geoff sulked and rotated his chair around a few times as he thought. He let out a long groan and put his head back, closing his eyes.

“Don’t strain yourself captain.” Gavin remarked from his spot, looking down at his station and checking the systems assigned to him. Jack stood there amused as Geoff thought, the flower still in hand and Ryan wandered over to his own station, checking the scans he had set it too and smiling at the data collected.

“I’ll have to get some samples.” He muttered to himself but Geoff heard him sitting up and stabbing a finger at the startled man.

“What did you just say?” he asked urgently, getting weird looks from the crew present at the sudden change of pace.

“Ah… just there’s some rare kelp growing nearby and when we bunk down for the night, I might grab some samples?” Ryan explained, unsure what the problem was. Geoff smiled at him however and clapped his hands once turning to jack.

“That’s what we’re going to do Jack. We’re going to catch this beast and rehome it.”

Jack was made uneasy by the glint in his captain’s eye.

“We don’t have a cage that big handy Geoff. I doubt I could build one with the materials at hand either. This is made from storage junk,” he said shaking the flower lightly at the captain and shrugging, “Spare parts we can afford to lose. I don’t have enough materials to build a cage big enough to hold it as we transfer it.”

Geoff stood up and put his hands-on Jacks shoulders, still smiling.

“We got room Jack. Trust me…” he looked out pointedly at one of the many arms of the octopod as they glided through the water making jacks face drain of colour as he caught on to what Geoff was suggesting, “We have the perfect transport ready.”

 

Ray piloted the Gup-A with a swim suited up Michael was sitting in the back area with Ryan, who was also in a swim suit, though he didn’t intend to get out. He was attempting to walk the demon over how to use the Vibrating flower one more time but Michael wasn’t interested.

“I get it, stab the thing into the ground, hit the switch, move back before I get a nose bleed. I get it, I get it. Now what I don’t get is, did you guys know Geoff was insane when you signed up?”

“Of course dude. We met while I was on diplomatic shore leave. He was in a bar fight that spilled out right in front of me, the weird part though is he wasn’t with the Humans but he was fighting on the Sprites side. See a man in a throw down with the only backup three foot green midgets and yeah, you kinda get he’s crazy.”

Ryan frowned at Michael, irritated the demon wasn’t as impressed in his work as Ryan felt he should be but he shrugged and answered Michaels question.

“He hired me and my Werewolf mate. Not many would do that. Yeah, I understood what I was getting into.” He said simply and Michael threw up his hands, his gloves webbed to give him a better chance at swimming.

“Great, so it was just me then.”

“Yeah well, you’re an idiot if this was your first clue. Hold on were coming up on the reported den.” Ray informed his passengers and with a flick over his shoulder radioed back the Octopod.

“We are almost ready to dump this demon and get the hell out of dodge.” Ray told the crew back at the octopod, “You ready to receive pissed off snake?”

“As ready as we could be.” Jack replied then looked to his captain both of them back in the main pod. He wasn’t happy with this plan, having cleared out one of the storage arms so the pod was clear. The open pod was exposed to the water, pressed up against the cavern mouth ready to scope up the discombobulated creature.

Geoff was smiling to himself and he had control of the pod while Jack was to focus on manual control of the Arm. Gavin was looking nervous from his spot monitoring the seismic activity around the where the octopod was planted, Ryan having admitted there was a slight chance the Flower could trigger an earthquake or heavens forbid, make this dormant volcano active.

On that chance, Jack in his turn radioed the evac crew. Lindsay and Jeremy had taken the Gup-C to the meeting point to speak with the leader of this settlement.

“How you going Linds? Were almost ready to go here.” Jack said and Geoff winked at him.

Over in the Gup-C, Lindsay was controlling her breathing, nervous by the wild movements of the merpeople so close to her crewman. Jeremy was in a pressure suit and he wore a strange head cap of Ryan’s design over his ears, the Scientist knowing Jeremy hated getting water in them. His gilly was activated, as he spoke with the merleader, floating and gesturing towards the caverns.

“Fine I think. Jeremys chatting with the locals now, and no one has tried to turn him into a hotdog so it must be going well.” She reported. For her part, she couldn’t hear them from inside the gup and even if she did, she would never be able to understand them.

They seemed irritated to her but it didn’t seem directed at the Octonaut but rather at the information he was giving.

“ _Think they’ll take a hike?”_ Geoff asked next and Lindsay took in the faces around Jeremy, judging mood from the expressions.

“Couldn’t tell you- “she stopped then smiled as Jeremy flicked a hand in salute at the leader and started back towards the gup, giving Lindsay the thumbs up, “Actually Cap, I’d say he’s done it!”

As Jeremy swam back into the back section of the gup then it emptied of water, Lindsay watched the merpeople dispense, some swimming back to the caverns and others away into the kelp fields they harvested for food. The general activity seemed to be evacuation into the shelters around the fields until the danger has past.

Jeremy confirmed when the wet werewolf opened the divider and stepped, dripping to his seat. He smiled at Lindsay, rubbing his throat uneasily and shaking out his tail before he activated the Gup radio rather than the gilly, so he could speak to the Octopod and the Gup-A.

“So Bristle, that’s the leader, has agreed they’ll temporarily move just until we catch the Colchian. I may not have told them the little gem Ryan let us in on.”

“ _Dear god, look you all got to be less twitchy. It’s a slight risk, well into acceptable levels. Besides, jack helped me, why not get up him?”_

_“hey asshole, I helped you make it function, I don’t know anything about vibration frequency’s. I just know the thing will work.”_

_“Why is there always a catch with everything you invent Rye-bread? It’s bonkers it is.”_

_“Ok, everyone shut up. How long does the pod need to evacuate?”_

Jeremy looked over the evacuation before he answered his captain.

“Not long at all. Just give them time to move their vulnerable so if the Colchian goes in the wrong direction, they can defend themselves.”

Over in the Gup-A Ray brought them to a halt, the Gup reading extreme temperatures around them, the water near to a boiling point. The rocks here had a soft glow and they were paused in the mouth of a larger cavern. Ryan came forward and craned his head to see down where a large creature was curled up on itself.

“Holy balls, is that it?” Ray asked, the Atlantean swallowing nervously as Michael joined him by his shoulder.

“Oh fuck that! No fucking way!” Michael cried out when he saw it, Ryan giving a small smile and a glint in his eye to see it, already planning on the scales, blood and venom samples he could harvest while it was in their custody.

It was thicker than a man and three times as long. Its eyes were open, having no eyelids but it seemed in a resting state. There was a bulge in its stomach and they could correctly assume it had eaten recently. Not merman as no one had been reported missing, but perhaps one of their flock of giant fish.

“Relax, you don’t have to go to close to it. I think if you set the flower, there, then that’s the cavern that leads to the octopod, right?” Ran pointed out a spot further back from the creature and checked with ray that they were guiding it towards the right tunnelling.

Ray looked over the cavern then consulted the notes he had taken before nodding.

“That’s bingo all right. If we situate the gup by that opening, it’ll block it. It won’t come this way because the Flower will be making its noise right near here so that’s the only option it can take.”

Ryan and Michael both nodded, the one with horns slower than the one that gets to stay in the relative safety of the gup.

“So, we see it. It’s had a munch on something and is all curled up. This thing is big man, I hope it fits in the arm pod.” Ray radioed the others and Jeremy’s excited voice came over the radio making his mate grin.

_“What markings does it have? Are there shadows under its eyes? Because if the scales darken under the eyes then it’s an adolescent, those colouring fade as it grows older and- “_

“Dude it’s a giant fucking snake! What more do you want?” Michael growled into the Gup Radio.

“A nesting mother ideally.” Murmured Ryan at the same time Jeremy radioed back.

_“A Prego one would be awesome. These things don’t breed easily a part of how they’ve become endangered.”_

Ryan cocked a knowing eyebrow at the other lads who chuckled that he knew his mate so well.

“ _Are you Fucking kidding me? There’s a chance this beast will squirt out baby monsters in my ship?!”_

_“Geoff, please, when you said you wanted to shove it in the pod I took the precautions to make sure it doesn’t escape into the ship.”_

_“It won’t squirt anything anywhere Captain. The Colchian lays eggs not live born nestlings.”_

_“_ Nobody cares about your Fucking snake Lil’J!” Michael swore over the radio and Ryan raised a hand.

“technically we all do seeing as this is a mission to remove and rehome the beast instead of simply killing it.”

“Shut the fuck up Ryan. I swear if your mate’s Fucking pet there bites my ass, I’m going to kick yours!” Michael grumbled and stormed into the back compartment and sat down, rubbing his curled horns nervously and muttering to himself. Ray and Ryan looked after him then at each other, shrugging before they looked back down at the snake.

“ _Ok, the settlement is ready here, we just got the signal everyone is clear.”_

_“be careful Michael please, I’d like a husband at the end of this mission.”_

_“_ Fuck here we go.” Michael growled out, his eyes flashing with demonic light as he got up and bounced from foot to foot, throwing punches at nothing to calm himself as Ryan straightened and walked back to help his crewman.

“ _Were ready at this end. Just hope the Snake knows the plan.”_ Jack said uneasily.

_“Colchian. It’s a Colchian. Why doesn’t anyone say its name?”_

“It’s a dirty big fucking snake Lil’J, now shut the fuck up so your mate can tell me how to piss it off.”

Michael yelled and the radio fell quiet. Ryan helped Michael put on the flippers and helped him pull on the tight webbed gloves.

“remember how to deploy it?”

“I think I can jam it in the ground Rye. I’m more concerned if that thing decides to fucking come at me.” Michael said quieter now he was about to go out into the cavern the creature called home. Ryan scoffed and held up a finger, turning to a box under the seats, pulling it out.

“In addition to the electric barbs your gilly can deploy, I brought a little insurance. Do Not Tell Jeremy…” he said slowly and forcefully, including Ray in his stern look, “He will absolutely have my balls for breakfast if he knew I armed you against one of his precious monsters.”

He pulled forth a sleek black weapon, a small spike protruding from the end.

“A harpoon gun?” Michael asked brightly and took it from Ryan along with another spike, the length of his hand and the thickness of his finger.

“A little more wallop to these. When it penetrates, the outer shell will shatter and the inner mechanics exposed. When they touch body heat, it’ll become volatile and detonate.” Ryan said smoothly and Michael suddenly looked uncomfortable holding it. Ray leant forward in his seat towards them with a low whistle.

“Goddamn Rye, who hurt you man?” He commented and Ryan ignored him, helping Michael attach it to his waist, the spare clicking to the side of the gun. Michael stood and Ryan backed out as the demon started to sway from foot to foot and nodded his head.

“Remember where to deploy the vibrator flower and you should be fine.” Ryan assured him as the divider closed. Michael flipped him the finger as the compartment started to flood and he reached up to his gilly, activating the breather.

As the water closed around him, Michael felt pleasantly warm even as the human Ryan stepped back, the heat seeping from the divider and the Atlantean Ray moved almost onto the control panel to get away from it. Michael gave a wave and a thumbs up gesturing to the hatch which Ryan released for him. The floor opened up and he was floating.

He snatched the Flower from where it had been placed on a seat and he used his arms to propel himself out, kicking lightly. Most demons hated and feared water. Michael didn’t. There was no special reason, nothing strange happened in his childhood. His parents were good water fearing devils and had no idea why their son was happy to play with the human children in busted water pipe spray.

Many Demon spawn experts wished to talk to him, maybe find the cause. If they could eliminate that basic fear in all demons, they would be another step towards the strongest race. That weakness was exploited during the Reveal wars. Michael couldn’t tell them why he wasn’t afraid, why his skin didn’t crawl at the thought of it.

Right now, it was pleasant, making his skin tingle with heat and caressing him as he moved through it. What wasn’t pleasant was the new goggle implants Ryan was having him field test. The pressure around his throat was one thing, the film over his eyes another. The little device had been implanted in a pair at the corner of his eyes, either side of his nose and deployed the thin protective film like Rays natural swimming eyelids.

It itched like a bitch and Michael had to ignore it. Well he could whine about it though. He moved Ryan’s pattern over his shoulder then spoke, knowing the gilly would translate what he was saying to the Gup-A.

“These goggles suck Ryan.”

_“Are they not functioning correctly?”_

“No, they are, I can see, just they itch and I really want to flaking- “he pulled up short, turning to look back at the Gup where he could still see Ryan and Ray watching him, “Ryan did you not program the Gilly to translate swear words?”

“ _I saw no need for that kind of vulgarity so no.”_

“You mother Flaming, pig hugging- “

Michael didn’t get to finish as he saw Ray suddenly point and he whipped his head around.

“ _It’s moving!”_ maybe it was the conversation, maybe it was the movement of the demon swimming or maybe Michael was the unluckiest man in the whole ocean, but the snake had decided it had, had enough baking and wanted to move. Towards Michael.

“Oh farm me!” Michael exclaimed and started to really swim towards the designated spot. The snake was still uncurling but its head was undulating slowly, it’s eyes locked on the creature that had penetrated its home. Above them both Ray threw himself into the controls, Ryan in the co-pilot and together they started to move the Gup-A into position, Ryan lighting up the sensor and making it wave to and fro.

“The fuck are you doing Rye?” Ray exclaimed, the bobbing glowing sensor getting in the way of him trying to see where they were going.

“I’m trying to attract that thing and buy Michael time! What do you think I’m doing?!”

“I think your trying to get us eaten!”

“Oh it can’t swallow the Gup Ray, calm down.”

Michael looked over his shoulder to see that the Colchian was now turning to address what it thought as a threat, it’s whole body puffing slightly as it swam towards the gup, it’s mouth opening to extend giant fangs the size of Michaels forearms. The demon worked quickly, his hand twitching towards his weapon but managing to line himself roughly where Ryan had pointed out to him.

He settled near the floor and with a quick press on his collar bone, sent instructions to his flippers to gain weight so he could stand. The ocean bed was hot, even he could tell that, a line of lava most likely moving deep below his feet right now. He took the flower in both hands and with all the strength he could, drove it into the bed.

A low rumble sounded and he could feel it through his hands still clasped to the stem and his feet planted on the floor.

“God, I hope I didn’t do that.” He muttered to himself, and did a quick check to see the Gup-A was in trouble. There was nothing he could do for them however except the job he was here to do. He flicked the switch and threw himself back in the same moment, quickly making his flippers light again so he could kick away from the unfurling device.

“IT’S TRYING TO EAT US!” Ray screeched, as the Gup shook, the snake contracting around it and they had a lovely view down it’s throat as it struck at the front of the Gup over and over.

“TRYING! IT’S TRYING DOESN’T MEAN IT CAN!” Ryan bellowed back, white knuckling in his seat and trying to reassure himself as much as the younger man strapped in beside him.

“I AM GOING TO DROWN YOU IN YOUR SLEEP! “Ray roared and Ryan grinned madly at him, his face drained of colour but sounding cheerful through the fear.

“AHA! SO, YOU DO THINK WE’LL SURVIVE THIS!”

“I FUCKING HATE YOU HAYWOOD!”

The metal screeched and the glass made a sound that made both men want to disappear. The pressure and the water they could contend with. Ryan had his Gilly if he didn’t want to reveal his own trick and Rays biology was a twin system, he could easily switch to his gills for oxygen intake. What they couldn’t deal with is the heat, Ray would boil immediately, Ryan might last a little longer but only serving to extend his agony.

Then the snake was shaking its massive head and letting out an unholy screech as it released the Gup and writhed before them for a moment before it started moving away towards the exit they needed it too. They sat there, panting, fear having made them worn out until the radio made them jump.

“ _You guys ok? That thing was picked off!_ ”

Ray reached forward and activated the Gup radio as Ryan responded to Michael.

“We’re fine here. Maybe a little more damp then before but alive. Give it ten, then turn the flower off and head back. We’ll give you a lift home when you’re ready.” Ryan told the demon, his voice a lot calmer then he felt. Despite his mad words and cocky attitude, he had genuinely been frightened. He just wished to be home, in his pod, curled into his fiancée on their bed. He didn’t let himself think that the creature was going to be a neighbour for a time.

Ray was equally outwardly calm even as he was still screaming like a bitch inside.

“captain, it’s on the way. Just as pissed as advertised.” He warned the main pod then slumped back in his seat.

“ _Thanks Gup-A. Radio when we have it secured.”_ Geoff said, his voice breaking slightly from nervousness.

 _“or were goners, whichever come’s first_ ” Gavin put in then the octopod went quiet.

Michael was treading water a distance from the flower, they could see from where they were the tremors coming through the water as the metal petals vibrated at speed. The demon stayed away until it was time to deactivate it and Ryan stood up, running a hand over the inside of the glass.

“What are you doing?” Ray asked after a moment.

“checking for cracks.”

“You’re the genius. If we had a crack, it wouldn’t BE a crack, we’d just be dead at this level.” Ryan shrugged at that and continued with his inspection, soothing himself that it was whole and fine. He liked field work sure, but times like these he missed the relative safety of his Lab.

Really, there, the only danger was himself.

It’s how he ended up with his condition, perks aside, he didn’t want to die before he could correct his mistake. He certainly didn’t want to be Snake chow. He really wanted his wolf right now.


	5. Ryans episode

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They have the beast captured and it's a time to celebrate but one octonaut isn't feeling to hot

The Gup-C made it back to the Octopod before the Gup-A, Jeremy having told the Merpod that the snake had been safely captured. Gavin reported that there seemed no sign of any unusual seismic activity so once again Dr Haywood proved correct in his hypothesis.

Now they were all gathered, with the exception of the crew of the Gup-A who were still making their way back after disengaging the flower and scooping up Michael, looking down into one of the Octopod arms where the Colchian curled up, sedated inside the Pod. It didn’t have much room to move so they had decided to flood the pod with a knockout gas while they transfer the beast to its new home.

“Arg, I hope the Gup-A hurry’s up, I want that off my ship as soon as possible.” Geoff shuddered, his arms crossed and glaring at the snake. Jack stood by his side and nudged the captains shoulder with his own.

“Hey, this was your idea captain.”

“I never said it was my favourite idea Jack, just the only option I saw.” Geoff grumbled and in front of him, Jeremy was pressed to the glass, his tail wagging and Gavin by his side, his camera in hand, snapping pictures as Jeremy enthused over their visitor.

“Look at her captain! She’s beautiful! Oh, I’m so glad we managed to get her. Just look at her! She’s part of the Titanoboa family, most believe them to be extinct, since there’s less than a hundred in the world but we got her and she’s so gorgeous. Oh, my contact is going to be thrilled! He knows where a male is and if we can her to Viña del Mar on the south American coast, captain, we may have revitalised a whole species!”

“A species of assholes!” Michael cut in, still in his wet suit, the first into the main pod area. Lindsay got up from her seat and threw herself at him, his horned head over hers as they spoke rapidly to each other, glad Michael was alright.

Jeremy also turned and not quite ran but hurried over to Ryan who actually had his arms spread before his mate got there. They hugged and Ryan ran a hand over Jeremy’s head so he’d look up and the scientist could claim a soothing kiss.

Ray was last in and took in the two couples, his arms coming up in a defensive shrug.

“Where’s my warm welcome?” he complained then expelled air when Gavin hit him around the middle in a hug, the excitable technological officer burying his face in Rays chest.

“You’re back! Have you seen the ruddy thing? It’s huge Ray! Wouldn’t want to be swimming around with that thing in the water!” Gavin cried slightly muffled by his hug of Ray as the Atlantean tried to push him off only to find he was clinging hard.

“Yeah, I saw it Gav, it tried to crack us like a nut.” Ray replied and even as he was trying to get Gavin to realise him, he was secretly pleased at the hug.

The couples and the Captain all chuckled at the antics but Jack taped the glass twice bringing attention back to him.

“Shall we go dump this thing off or is everyone going to have an orgy?”

“I’ll take an orgy!” Gavin yelled and got smacked on his head by Ray. Geoff laughed then sighed it out, moving towards his seat and with a gesture, making everyone take theirs

“Let’s get moving. I don’t want that thing on my ship longer then it has to be."

 

Geoff rubbed the back of his neck, looking down at his Data pad and wasn’t watching where he was going, almost colliding with Jack who had been walking the opposite way. The two men stepped back before they hit and exchanged apologies before jack tilted his head at him, looking down the hall.

“Where you off too captain?”

“Talk to Jeremy. Lindsay pumped enough knockout in there to put out a rhino but I want to double check it’s going to stay snoozing the whole trip.” Jack made a face and shook his head.

“I would not go knocking on that door right now Cap, if I was you.” He confided and Now Geoff was looking down the hall then back to Jack.

“What? Why? I’m the damn captain, they can crawl off each other for five minutes if that’s the problem.” Geoff bristled but calmed when Jack put a hand on his shoulder and lead him into an open doorway into one of the tunnels leading to a storage pod. He shut the door then turned back to the captain.

“Ryan’s having another episode.” He said quietly and Geoff groaned and tucked his Data pad away.

“Seriously? We’ve been out for like a week! He can’t be having one already.”

“Hey, you’re the idiot who hired him, knowing about his condition. I just had to walk into the last episode while he was setting up his lab for eight weeks.” Jack shuddered in a remembered memory and Geoff groaned again.

“What do you want from me? He’s the best and he so happens to be mated to a pretty fucking good Cryptozoologist. Two experts for the price of one. I wasn’t going to pass that up just because he has a condition.” Geoff ran a hand through his hair as Jack tilted his head at him.

“That’s an explanation I didn’t get. How did Ryan end up like this?”

“None of your beeswax Jack, that’s how.”

“So that’s Geoff code for ‘I don’t know’.”

“Shut up. Open the damn door before people think we’re making out or something.” Jack hit the door pad and it opened, the captain stepping out first. Lindsay was walking by but she just nodded her head and kept going, the sounds of the lads in the rec room echoing back to them.

“You’re not still going to their pod, are you?” Jack asked once Lindsay had passed and Geoff started in the direction he had been going, He turned and walked backwards lifting his arms as he called back.

“Kinda have too! Don’t want that thing waking up and I may as well check on them while I’m at it.” He turned back around as jack raised his hands helplessly behind Geoff and the captain sighed out shaking his head at himself, “Maybe I am just insane as dicks like they tell me.”

The door to the pod tunnel was locked but as captain he could override anyone else’s lock code. He did so now and as he stepped into the tunnel he re-locked it behind him, not wanting the sound to escape into the main pod. A low pained moan echoed and a muffled voice at a soothing volume.

It didn’t sound so bad so Geoff gathered his courage and moved up to the second door, giving it a knock rather than bursting in on a werewolf who was caring for its mate. He’d been bit before, not by Jeremy but he could imagine it felt the same no matter the werewolf that bites you. Fucking painful.

“Captain?” Jeremys voice came from the other side of the door and Geoff rolled his eyes.

“Who the fuck else? No one else can get by the door, I’ve locked it with my code. Now open the fuck up.”

“Bad idea Cap, we’re dealing with an episode here.”

“I know. Open up, that’s an order.”

“Ryan hates people seeing him like this.”

“Well Ryan can suck my fat one, open up or are you disobeying a direct order?”

Geoff had his hands on his hips, levelling a glare at the door like he could see through it and straight at the disobedient werewolf, torn between his mate and his captain.

“Let… him... in…” Geoff heard Ryan call weakly then the door was opened. Geoff looked in cautiously before stepping inside the living space of his science officer and the werewolf. The glass was blacked out, thank goodness, so no one in the main pod could see in. Everything was packed away into the chests and cabinets, the cause sitting in the middle of the pod space, shaking and mostly naked except for shorts that hid his privacy. Around him was a circle of skin, teeth, hair and other things Geoff didn’t want to identify.

“Wow, Ryan, you ain’t looking so hot.” Geoff muttered as he watched the scientist hug himself and shake violently, a ripple going over his skin and forcing a hiss of pain between teeth. Jeremy growled by Geoff’s side causing the captain to glance at him, the werewolf’s fur sticking up and his fanged mouth bare.

“No offense Jeremy, cool your britches.” Geoff said quickly and Jeremy moved forward to kneel next to Ryan, pressing their foreheads together as the older man gave another shudder and now Geoff watched a trail of scales push up under his skin then shed onto the floor.

“What caused this? I thought your last one was four weeks ago, scared the fuck out of Jack. You shouldn’t be due for…”

“Two more months.” Jeremy supplied the number and gave a sympathetic whine as Ryan groaned again and keeled over into his mate’s lap, his skin changing colour from his normal skin tone to a darker blue. He ran a hand over Ryan’s head and hair came out in clumps only to immediately be replaced by thatches of course grey fur.

“It was the Colchian. It triggered a fear response and he had to fight off the reaction to shift in the Gup. This is the result of putting it off.” Then Jeremy spoke directly to Ryan who was breathing heavy as his body morphed randomly in places, Skin returning to normal only to change again, unable to control anything, “Idiot, I’m telling you, no one here will care let alone dob you in.”

Ryan tried to shake his head but muscles weren’t responding properly during an episode.

“Not…Now… Please…”

He forced out then gave a long drawn out moan of pain, twisting on the ground as from his spine, spikes erupted and he shoved Jeremy back so he could get on all fours and try to stretch the pain away. Jeremy whimpered and came back hushing his mate as his captain looked on.

“S-sorry...” Ryan snatched at Jeremy’s shirt and gave another grunt as the spikes joined the mess on the floor and he could collapse panting onto his stomach, his head in Jeremys lap.

“Fuck me, jeez, how long is this going to last?” Geoff asked, moving a little closer, wanting to do something for Ryan but helpless to know what.

The werewolf looked up his eye’s yellow and his teeth fanged as he bared them.

“I’m staying here until it’s over.” He growled and Geoff held up his hands.

“Ok, that’s a granted. Is there anything we can do for him?” he gave in quickly, not liking to see Ryan in pain even if he wasn’t his mate, the mad doctor was still his friend. Jeremy looked down at his quaking mate who was panting with his eyes shut, hands holding tight to Jeremys leg and hand, just trying to live through the pain.

“nothing…” Jeremy said low and broken, eyes welling, “Nothing can be done. He’s shifting at the molecular scale. Any medication is useless, just like me mid shift to wolf. He just has to breathe through it.” Ryan let out a harsh breath that could have been a laugh, his lips twisting in a parody of a smile.

“Remem…ber… tell…you that…mid… shift…” he ground out and both Jeremy and the captain gave small scoffs of amusement. Jeremy patted back the fur on Ryan’s head, leaning over his mate, trying to give as much comfort as he could.

“We are not having this argument in front of the captain. Besides you won on the pain scale, but I win because I go through it once a month.”

“Like…a… period…” Ryan tried to chuckle but ended up retching as his throat constricted and there was a tense moment as his neck morphed into something that couldn’t support a human head only for it to return to normal after a moment and Ryan take in huge pained breaths.

“Captain.” Jeremy spoke sharply, looking up at Geoff with tears in his yellow eyes, the wolf brought to the surface by his mate’s pain, “Do you have a reason to be here right now?” He asked a little ruder then he meant but it rubbed him raw to have someone near his vulnerable mate and he knew Ryan didn’t like people to witness his weakness.

Geoff knelt down next to Jeremy and lay a hand on the werewolf’s shoulder, sympathy shining in his face, taking some of the werewolf’s anger away.

“One of my crew is suffering Lil’J. Don’t think I can just join the others in the rec room and pretend that isn’t happening.” He said and looked down when Ryan snagged his wrist, looking up at him with eyes that were changing colour.

“Thankyou…Geoff…” he said and tried to smile, muscles twitching in his face. Geoff turned his hand so he could grasp Ryan’s, feeling the tremors for himself, the bones shifting under his grip.

“Your welcome Bud. I just wish there was something more we could do for you.”

But there wasn’t, so as Jeremy comforted Ryan best he could, Geoff comforted the wolf, his arm around the man’s broad shoulders as they sat out a vigil. Ryan’s episode lasted another hour in which he formed partial wings, excreted blood from his pores among other things, lost his teeth again twice, and for a time had a tail that he tucked between his legs before it detached.

When his skin stopped rippling and his pained cries turned to harsh sobs, Geoff got up from the ground, giving Jeremy one last squeeze before he got to his feet. Jeremy ran a hand over Ryan’s forehead, the skin back to normal and his hair human once more. Between the two of them, they picked Ryan up, brushing the rest of the waste off his body and gently shifted the exhausted man to the bed.

“Ryan, get some rest buddy. I don’t expect you at your station until your feeling up to it.” Geoff said softly and moved over to where Jeremy had already organised to have waste bags and a scoop to clean up the mess, tucked away beside the clothes chest, giving them privacy as the captain himself started clearing away the floor.

“Babe, you sure it’s over?” Jeremy asked, tucking Ryan in and having his hand taking in a weak grip, Ryan nodding and breathing evening out.

“Yeah. It’s done. God I’m so tired…” he breathed, smiling with his human mouth when Jeremy pressed his lips to his forehead.

“Get some sleep then. I’m just going to clean up then I’ll be back to check on you.” Jeremy assured him, Ryan nodding again just because he could control those muscles and rested his head on the pillow. Within moments he slumped and his face relaxed into a healing sleep.

“He out?” Geoff asked softly from the middle of the pod and Jeremy brushed his lips over Ryan’s forehead again before turning and seeing the captain had cleaned up, the waste backs ready to be disposed of.

“Yeah, he’ll sleep for some time. Thanks captain.” He gestured at the floor that still needed a wipe down but the chunks were now gone.

“Don’t think twice about it Lil’J. Come on, let’s get these to the incinerator and then I need to borrow you for a moment.” Both men took a bag and Geoff unlocked the doors to get back into the main pod, heading down to the engine level where the incinerator for waste sat.

“By what the Gup-A crew said, it just ate so even if the gas wears off, so long as it feels safe, it may stay peaceful.” Jeremy explained to the captain as they walked, Geoff having brought up his concerns. They walked together companionly, moving through the ship, not meeting anyone on their way.

“You called your contact yet?”

“Not yet. I didn’t know if we could actually capture it, then Ryan… Well anyway, when I give Matt a call, I’m sure he’ll drop everything to receive her.” Jeremy assured the captain, throwing his bag into the mouth of the incinerator, Geoff’s joining his moments later. Geoff shut the hatch and fingers flew over the controls before a warning light went on and the incinerator did its job.

“I hope so because I really don’t want this thing sticking around longer then it has too.”

“Don’t worry captain, Matt is Dedicated to the preservation of rare and unusual animals. If anyone is going to be happy to get a surprise giant Titanoboa, it’s Matt Bragg.” Jeremy laughed and then his ears slicked back as he eyed the exit, “If that’s all captain, I’d like to get back to Rye…”

Geoff patted Jeremys shoulder and got a smile in return for one of his own.

“As long as you’re sure another tank of gas won’t harm it, then your fine. Your off duty until we breach at sundown so you can give your friend a call.”

“Thanks cap.” Jeremy said, putting a hand over the captains then leaving the captain down in the engineering section to think to himself.

 

Ryan came too, his whole body feeling the familiar heavy and disconnected it normally does after an episode. This had been a brief but painful one and like a tradition he cursed at himself for ever attempting the experiment.

He had been young, brilliant and jealous. James Ryan Haywood had grown up in a family of shifters where he was the only one who’s genes had been recessive. He was a throwback to his human grandfather and nothing was more resentful then watching your cousins morph into birds and fly to school while you had to take the bus.

So he had grown up, throwing himself into study, working and learning with one goal in mind. Reversing his own genealogy. Making the shifter part of himself active over the human genome. He needed more time, better equipment and perhaps, not more intelligence but more wisdom.

He had jumped the gun and this was the result. He could partially shift on command but he paid for it with these episodes where his body became unstable and tried to correct itself in painful and horrifying ways. He knew when he got up in the morning, afternoon, whatever time it was, he would be skeletal to look at. That was going to be hard to explain why his body had eaten away at itself.

“You awake babe? I brought some food.” Jeremys voice cut into his musings and Ryan opened his eyes to see the wolf kneeling by the bed, a steaming bowl in his hands.

“Hello gorgeous.” Jeremy smiled at him and Ryan scoffed, knowing his cheeks were sunken and his skin clammy. No matter how bad the aftermath, Jeremy always made sure to complement him. He didn’t know what he had done to deserve the wolf in his life.

“Chicken?” Ryan croaked smelling the tempting aroma and with Jeremy helping with one hand, got himself upright with a pillow in his lap so Jeremy could place the bowl on it. Jeremy nodded, his tail wagging slowly behind him as he presented his mate with little loafs of bread to go with it.

“Made it myself from the finest- ok Jack made it, but I watched and I got the bread.” Jeremy gave up pretending when Ryan raised a brow and the man chuckled at Jeremy’s expression making the werewolf’s ears perk and his tail to increase speed.

“Thank you, Jeremy. Just what I need. Carbs.” Ryan said sincerely and dunked some bread, eating under the watchful eyes of his mate. He was used to Jeremy’s protectiveness however and it no longer bothered him. It was just a sign that someone actually cared for him. His family didn’t really have time for the strange human son who stayed in his room and played with chemicals.

On that note, after he had swallowed a well soaked piece his eyes furrowed and he glanced his mate, “So was I hallucinating, or was the captain in here?”

“Captain Ramsey watched out the hour with me. You seemed to want him there. Did you? Should I have thrown him out?” Jeremy answered, getting more whining and less human as his anxiety grew. Ryan lifted a hand to calm him, stoking once over soft ears and getting a sigh of relief from the wolf man.

“No, you did fine. The captain is ok.” Ryan assured him even as his stomach twisted. Geoff had never actually sat an episode with Ryan before. He knew of Ryan’s condition when the two had to fight off an angry Pod of Merman, totally not Ryan’s fault, and it was shift or be killed. Geoff had displayed a strange lack of reaction to Ryan’s secret, and had kept it for him over the years, making no mention of it to their superiors. Shifters were classed as a sub-human species, and Ryan’s many doctorates and PHDs might be stripped from him if the Human alliance found out they had a Non-human in their ranks. To be fair, Ryan read as human in every way when he wasn’t using the perks of his condition.

Jack had thrown up when he had come across Ryan mid episode, succumbing in his lab after an experiment had exploded in his face. He had been due for one then but hadn’t realised such a common occurrence would set it off. It had been not pretty to look at and it had taken Jeremy bursting in, drawn by the cries of his mate from where he had been setting up the rec room, to get the situation under control.

When there’s a werewolf bristled up in your face, even if he was short, you would agree to secrecy as well.

Ryan huffed a laugh, remembering Jack being threatened by his pissed off mate making Jeremy tip his head and smile.

“What’s so funny?” He asked and Ryan looked to him, handing the bowl over, the bread eaten and most of the soup gone.

“You are.” Ryan answered as Jeremy put the bowl aside and pulled his shirt off, climbing in beside Ryan, laying them down and hugging the scientist to his chest. They liked to vary who was big spoon but after today’s episode, both Jeremy and Ryan preferred it this way.

“Did I do something? Or did my face just strike you as funny all of a sudden?”

“Your face is always funny. But no, I was remembering when Jack walked in on me and you threw the temper tantrum to end all temper tantrums.”

“I wouldn’t call, ‘About to rip out a throat’ a temper tantrum.” Huffed Jeremy and Ryan chuckled again shifting his head to sit more comfortably, Jeremy’s chin resting on his hair.

“Your adorable when your angry. Puppy power!”

“I don’t know why I put up with you. Your so mean to me.”

“Condescending is not the same as mean. And your just so easy to rile up.” Ryan took the sting out of his words by reaching up and scratching under Jeremy’s chin like he knew the werewolf loved. Jeremy melted at the touch, relaxing his tense body, soothed by Ryan’s recovery and his touch.

“I’m glad you’re feeling better Rye. Hopefully this means you won’t have another episode for quite some time?” Ryan side stepped the question, knowing his episodes were hard to predict. It was a matter of build-up and stress and he was getting the inkling that perhaps such a field job maybe wasn’t the best choice for him.

“You’re up next. Underwater wolf, that’s going to be interesting.” Jeremy groaned and held Ryan a little tighter, putting on a whiny teen voice for comedic effect.

“I don’t wanna shift this moon.” He grumbled.

“Well, too bad. You can only put it off so long, trust me.”

“Maybe once we drop off the Colchian to Matt, I’ll let the captain know then.”

Contrary to popular belief, the moon did not effect a werewolf’s shift. Simply it was a biological build up, werewolves able to choose to shift early or even put it off for a time. If it was put off however the eventual shift would be more painful and they could be stuck in their alternate form for longer then they wish to be. Jeremy had shifted three weeks ago, and the build-up was starting to itch under his skin.

“Matt Bragg? Hey, that’s the guy who hit on you when I was sitting right there isn’t he?” Ryan’s hands grew hard at the memory and it was Jeremy’s turn to run a hand down Ryan’s spine and calm his mate.

“He didn’t hit on me Ryan I told you then and I’ll tell you now, we went to school together and graduated together. He has friend skin privileges.”

Ryan frowned and Jeremy rumbled deep in his chest, a happy werewolf purr as he snuggled Ryan tighter.

“Relax Rye, You’re the only one with full privileges. Matt can hug me but no one gets to touch me as often or as intimate as you do.” That soothed Ryan down and the two exchanged only a few more words before drifting to sleep together.

 

Down in the mess, the rest of the Octonauts were splitting cake and Geoff had broken out his celebratory whiskey, the bottle already quarter empty before anyone had touched it. They gave the captain knowing looks and he coloured but nothing was said of it.

“To a fine crew, a finer ship and a successful mission.” He triumphantly spouted as he poured everyone bar Jeremy and Ryan who were absent and Ray who had volunteered for watch duty of their reptilian visitor the moment Geoff had mentioned alcohol.

“To us.” Jack summed up with a roll of his eyes, throwing back his shot and making a face. Gavin, Michael, Lindsay and the captain echoed him and all drank, Geoff not batting a lid, Michael only the smallest shudder his wife smacking her lips and Gavin spluttering.

“God that’s powerful stuff cap.” Wheezed Gavin and Geoff laughed, clapping him on the back and pouring himself another shot. He gestured with the bottle and only Michael took him up on another.

“Gavin my lad, it’s a matter of taste. My taste buds drowned in this stuff years ago, it practically goes down like butter.” Geoff told him regally, throwing another down. Jack came back from the kitchen with a bottle of coke, some cups stacked in one another and a chocolate cake.

“Save some for the others alright?” Jack said as he put the cake down and a murmur of excitement ran around the group assembled, “I thought we deserved something a little nice after that mission.”

“Is every mission going to be sticking my fucking neck out?” Michael asked as his wife cut even slices for everyone, batting away Geoff and Gavin’s hands. Geoff frowned at his medic then looked to the demon to answer his question.

“I fucking hope not. Still, it was a good one to start on plus I think we will earn a bit of reputation from the Merpod there. Hopefully word of the Octonauts spreads. It’ll make our lives so much easier.” Lindsay went to give Michael the first piece but Geoff quickly snatched the plate out of her hands and used his fingers to dig in, Ignoreing the objections, “I’m captain! I get first everything!”

He cried like a child making his crew laugh. Smiles and chatter were abound and Geoff was talking with Gavin over the programing changes the technological expert would like to make when Michael’s question drew his attention.

“So Jack, where are Ryan and Jeremy? They kinda disappeared after we got underway again.”

The second exchanged a look with the captain who budded into the conversation.

“Jeremy isn’t feeling so hot. That time of the month you know?” he joked getting the grins he was aiming for from the lads but Lindsay cocked her head sympathetically.

“Does he need anything? I don’t know too much about the Werewolf cycle, the packs tend to keep that pretty locked down, but I have treated a Were hyena before who, due to an injury, had to fight off shift for three weeks.”

“Wot? I thought were-whatever’s heal when they shift.” Gavin asked and Lindsay shook her head.

“Do you heal when your Atlantean physics come to the foreground? No. When they shift, the injury shifts as well and when it’s from a bipedal to quadrupedal, not all the same organs and bones line up. A cut on a human shoulder may open over the spinal column of their animal form. We believe that’s why they are capable of sustaining either form for extended periods.”

Michael put and arm around Lindsay’s shoulder and force-fed her a piece of cake along with a kiss to the cheek.

“Awesome, interesting, etc., now how about when that thing was coming at me?” He changed the subject from werewolves back to the adventure of the day.

“Seriously, any closer and it would have swum through my piss because oh my god it was huge and staring right at me. If Ryan and ray hadn’t pissed it off with the gup, I might not have been here for cake tonight.”

“well you are here for cake Hun, and I’m happy you are.” Lindsay stroked a horn and Michael smiled at her, his boyish face alight with love as Gavin turned to Geoff and pointed down his throat with a laugh. Geoff laughed with him and looked once at jack, glad the subject had been changed. Jeremy may believe it’s safe to tell the crew, but personally Geoff wanted to reserve his judgement.

He wanted to see how well they all worked together before they start telling deep dark secrets.

He also didn’t think Ryan’s secret was the only one aboard.


	6. Water Wolf

“Mirror, mirror in the bowl, who’s the goodest boy you know? OW! Don’t bite!” Ryan laughed and jumped back as Jeremy nipped his fingers after Ryan had placed the shiny metal bowl down on the floor in preparation to fill it. Michael laughed from where he sat on the mess bench by the couple, fascinated by Jeremy’s wolf form, though he’d never admit it. The Demon had never seen a werewolf animal form in person before.

Jeremy was tall for a werewolf, his head from the tips of his ears, ironically still 5’4 even though most werewolves lose height to float between 4’8 to 5 foot in wolf form. Ryan liked to joke all his extra human inches went into the wolf form. Of the Crew, only Jack, Geoff and Gavin had seen a wolf form werewolf and so Michael wasn’t the only one fascinated. He was the only one up and free this late at night however.

Ryan had snuck the horse sized beast down to the mess at two in the morning, hoping to avoid the rest of the crew’s questions about his own state, still recovering from his episode just a few days ago. Jeremy had called matt and they had transferred the Colchian yesterday. Ryan had spent his time since the mission holed up in his lap, stating he was researching the samples the crew had nervously harvested from the beast, then after the transfer, hid in his personal rooms, stating he was helping guide Jeremy through his transformation.

Michael had been in the mess, coming off a night watch shift and fixing himself a late-night snack. When you walk into the mess followed by a man sized dark grey wolf, it’s hard to turn around and pretend like you weren’t avoiding people. So, Ryan was forced to casually greet the demon, ignore the double take and be thankful when Michael’s attention was caught by the massive four-legged creature.

“So, is he…Like all in there?” Michael asked, having put down his fork to watch Ryan prepare a large serve of raw meat and blended vegetables mixed in thick gravy.

“He’s as intelligent as he ever was, so I’d say probably not.” Ryan said from the bench and Jeremy padded over and bumped him with a massive head, before he looked over to Michael, his tongue lolling out of his jaws and eye’s the same brown they have always been with a lighter yellow encircling them. Michael smiled back at his friend albeit a little nervous.

Ryan turned around and with one hand shoved the giant wolf from his path, coming back to the metal dog bowl and pouring the raw mixture in from the bowl he had mixed it all in. Jeremy came over with a happy huff and ducked his head, eating messily as Ryan straightened and put a hand on Jeremys ruff, glad to see the wolf so at ease.

Jeremy had transformed after the transfer of the Colchian, informing Geoff and getting permission for three days of leave. He could transform back after a night or two, but the longer he stayed wolf, the longer he could be human when he transferred back. It was hard for Ryan to watch Jeremy carefully strip down, preparing himself mentally for the pain he was about to go through. Unlike Ryan’s episodes, Jeremy had done nothing to deserve such pain.

“Dude, he’s fucking massive.” Michael commented, looking over the wolf. He was mostly Dark grey, lighter on his under belly and under his jaws. He could just make out the dim light of the Gilly under the skin of the wolfs neck like a collar. His paws were the size of dinner plates and his tail had life of its own, swaying behind him as he consumed kilos of food. Michael now understood why Jeremy and the Captain had come back after negotiating the transfer with a gup full of fresh supplies. Jeremy-Wolf was eating more than the human Lil’J and that guy could pack it away.

Ryan chuckled, patting the wolf who’s tail wags increased with the attention though he didn’t stop eating.

“Yeah, he’s Big’J right now.” Ryan joked and Michael laughed, Jeremy lifting his head, licking his maw and obviously rolling his eyes which only made the two-bipedal laugh harder. The wolf returned to his meal and now Michael was more at ease he looked to Ryan, really taking in the way his lap coat hung on his shoulders, the gaunt look to his face.

“So, what happened to you skelator?” Michael asked, concern making the harsh words gentle. Apparently not gentle enough as Jeremy lifted his head again, glaring at Michael and growling warningly, taking a step forward and nudging Ryan back behind his side, making the wolf be between the two. Michael lifted his hands and scooted back, his nails colouring dark and extending a little in nervous reaction to angry werewolf.

“Whoa! No offense meant Jeremy!” he said quickly, looking to Ryan for help, the man grabbing an ear and yanking it so Jeremys eyes were torn from the Demon to his mate.

“Jeremy, stop it. Michael was just asking a question and you know the way he talks. That was darn near polite for him, so cut it out.” Ryan said firmly, Jeremy huffing and giving a quick rumble that sounded almost like he was trying to speak. Michael didn’t understand but Ryan did, flicking Jeremys nose so the wolf shook his head and backed up the extra step he had taken.

“I am a skelator and you know it. So, shut up and eat your dinner.” Jeremy grumbled deep in his throat and shot a warning look at Michael before he went back to his food. Michael didn’t move back to his spot, preferring to stay at this distance as he looked to Ryan for an explanation.

“He ah, didn’t like you calling me names. He’s fully aware in there, but a more instinctual him. He reacts a bit differently in this form. More cave man priority’s you know?” Ryan said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck and smiling self-consciously. Michael nodded his horned head, understanding that. During musk season, he could get pretty animalistic himself. He was as lucky as Jeremy in scoring an understanding partner.

“I get it. Sorry again Lil’J. But Ryan, seriously, what’s up? You’ve been a ghost this last week and the first I see of you…well, ah…” He was trying to find a nice way to put the bone deep worry he had when he had seen Ryan enter the mess. The man had shed every ounce of fat he had had. Ryan understood and shrugged.

“I was doing an experiment with the Colchian blood. Thought I could harvest the heat resistance properties, if I could then it wouldn’t have to be you or fingers crossed, Lindsay, who has to go into the volcano’s. I tested the tonic on myself and well, you see the results. I should regain weight fairly quickly, so don’t worry about me.”

“You idi-” Michael started to berate but stopped himself, biting a lip and glancing down at Jeremys head to see the wolf was looking at him. Ryan saw the look and smiled a little wider.

“Don’t worry about Jeremy, he’ll get over it. Mans a puppy.” He winked at Michael who laughed and got up, his bed calling to him. Reassured of Ryan’s answer and curiosity satisfied, Michael bid them goodnight and headed to the door. He paused there and turned around colouring slightly and not meeting Ryan’s eyes.

“Hey, you been hermit so I never got to thank you for saving my life in the volcano. So thanks. And take care of yourself would ya?” Michael spoke softly then left before anyone could accuse him of feeling. Jeremy had lifted his head up to look at the lad as he spoke and the mated pair exchanged looks to which he rolled his wolven shoulders and started to lick his bowl clean. Ryan scoffed, folding his arms, touched by Michaels brief but heartfelt words, unused to anyone but Jeremy caring for him.

“You said it Lil’J. That _was_ unexpected…”

 

“Geoff! Geoff! Geoff!” Gavin was squawking the captains name, racing down the hall with long legs, his side bag bouncing against his hip and skidding by the Gup bay, having to turn around and burst in where Geoff, Lindsay and Ray were standing, chatting as Jack loaded up the gup-c with crates of medicinal supplies. Lindsay and Ray were dressed in their swim suits, Geoff and jack their cotton uniforms. As Jack worked the loader, Gavin came to a rocking halt in front of Geoff, breathing hard.

“Geoff…” he gasped and the captain grinned at the puffing lad.

“That is my name, yes.” He said sarcastically to sniggers around them. Gavin waved a hand at him, the other on his hip as he got enough air to speak.

“Request…permission to…join…” He panted and ray took a step forward.

“Puh-lease don’t tell me this is about you girlfriend.”

“Meg is not my girlfriend!” Gavin cried hotly his ears turning red. Geoff shrugged at Lindsay who returned the gesture. Gavin glared at ray then turned to his captain.

“Please Geoff, the stingray migration has never really been photographed from below. It’s a once in a lifetime sight!”

“Once a year sight.” Lindsay murmured under her breath to Ray with a smile but Geoff was nodding his head, and Gavin was lighting up, excited. His side bag already contained his depth camera and his swimsuit so he was prepared to go, smiling smugly at Ray and moving to stand by Lindsay. Now that was settled, Geoff went back to speaking to Ray and Lindsay.

“So, as I was saying, the tenders are pretty protective of the Fever…Yes gavver’s?” He stopped as Gavin’s hand shot into the air.

“Fever sir?”

“It’s what a group of Rays are called…”

“Oh…” Gavin murmured in response, Geoff rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to speak but Gavin turned to grin at Ray, “I thought a group of you would be called Antisocial wankers united.” Ray rolled his eyes at Gavin and a grin tugged at the corner of his mouth as Lindsay giggled.

“Hey, asshole, don’t make me regret saying you could come. Unlike you, I actually need these two so let me talk.” Geoff said in his best captain voice and Gavin mimed locking his lips.

“Right so anyway, the tenders don’t like people getting to close to the Fever, but a few of the Rays are pretty messed up. Looks like something has been taking a bite out of the migration so Lindsay, you’ve brushed up on your Ray?”

“Sure have Cap. I should be able to patch them up enough to get them to the summer feeding grounds. Then only time can tell.” Lindsay said confidently, Geoff smiling affectionately at her. The sound of the loader powered down as jack finished straightened from the control panel.

“Good girl. Ray, you know the route, right?”

“Sure do oh Capitan.”

“Awesome. Now I don’t want you to be stuck out there after dark so I need you kids home before then alright?” He got nods from all three and jack wandered over, jerking a thumb at the gup, stating the obvious.

“Everything loaded up Geoff. Should be enough to take care of the numbers reported and then a few more just in case.”

“Thanks Jack. Alright, you know your mission, hop to it.”

Ray and Gavin went straight to the gup but Lindsay looked back at the door, waiting. Sure enough he didn’t disappoint, much as Gavin did earlier, in his rush, Michael blew by the door making his wife smile. After he had backtracked he started talking before he even reached her.

“I’m so fucking sorry, I overslept, stupid alarm didn’t go off and I was so afraid I was going to be late and-” Lindsay laughed and kissed him to still his words. Over his shoulder jack scoffed.

“I took over your watch and still managed to be up in time.”

The jones both gave him the finger without looking away from each other.

“Be safe out there ok? Sting rays sting remember?”

“Please Michael, the Mermaids will be right there with their charges. I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

“yeah, I know, just stay safe anyway ok?”

“OH NO! Get that mutt out of here Ryan!” Jack’s cry got everyone to look around as Ryan wandered in with Jeremy on his heels, the wolf looking around interested then caught sight of the water. His eyes widened and he gave a happy whine before he bolted, jumping into the water, Ignoreing jacks hands up and his shouted No.

Inside the gup, Gavin and ray yelled out, water splashing into the open section as the wolf paddled around happily, biting at the water, tail trailing behind him. As the crew doubled over at Jeremys antics, jack rounded on Ryan who spread his hands guiltily and ducked his head.

“You have any idea how long it takes to vent, scrub down and refill that pool?!” jack yelled at the scientist, “His goddamn fur is already all over the ship! Now it’s going to be in the fucking vents!”

“He wanted to see everyone off…” as they argued Michael chuckled again and murmured to his wife.

“Maybe I should come with you?” Geoff heard him and stabbed a finger in his direction.

“Oh, nice try, but if I gotta stay here with that, you have to stay too! Lindsay, get going, would you?”

“Aye-aye.” She said to the captain, giving Michael one last peck then joining the other two in the pod, the glass sealing once she was in and the Gup occupants waving to the Demon as the gents dissolved into a three-way argument. Jeremy paddled over and licked the glass as they started to sink down, Ray careful not to bump the wolf with the much larger gup.

After the gup was gone, Jeremy circled the water then caught sight of an angry jack berating his mate while Geoff, amused, tried to restore order on his ship. Michael yelled a warning, having been watching the wolf play and the three men looked up as five foot of angry wolf leapt out of the water and barged between the argument, snarling and his head down showing all his teeth as water streamed from his fur.

“Goddamn it Ryan!” Jack cursed then jumped back when Jeremy snapped at him. Geoff stayed in place, having dealt with werewolves before in his long career, showing no fear of Jeremy and looking him in the eyes when the wolf looked to him.

“Don’t you fucking even dare Jeremy. You don’t want people to yell at your mate, maybe get a smarter one. Or, maybe restrain yourself from paddling around huh?” Geoff reprimanded not breaking eye contact until the wolf looked away himself, sitting down with a huff. He looked over to jack and gave a whine that was his way of apologizing.

Then he stood up, beside his mate and his legs took a longer stance, Ryan figuring it out too late.

“No Jeremy don’t!” The wolf shook itself out, water drenching his mate and now Geoff did move back, avoiding a coating himself. Jeremys fur stuck out all over and his tongue lolled out, the scent of wet wolf strong looking up happily at his crewmates.

There was a beat then Jack and Geoff fell against each other laughing hard enough tears were coming from their eye’s Michael moving to join them pointing at the drenched Ryan and shaking with laughter himself.

“Rye you look like a fucking drowned cat!” he forced out making the gents laugh harder, jack shaking a hand in front of him, the other around Geoff’s shoulder.

“Oh, I can’t breathe!” jack gasped wiping his eye’s, his smile wide and Jeremy making up for the work he now had to do.

Ryan glared at them, dripping and covered in wet and bits of fur, turning to look sharply at the wolf who had started to give a barking chuckle himself, watching the crew react. Seeing his mate’s disapproving look, Jeremys maw shut with a snap and his ears went back guiltily.

“Jeremy, I’m going to go have a shower. You can stay here and drip dry. Maybe help Jack clean huh?” Ryan said with as much dignity as he could muster, walking out of the Bay with his head held high and his friend’s laughter following him. Miserable wolf eyes followed him out and Geoff took mercy, coming over and petting Jeremys head, ruffling his ears.

“Don’t worry about it bud. You know Ryan and his pride. He’ll be fine after he’s all dry.” Jeremy whimpered then shifted his head, moving behind Geoff and shoving him at the door.

“You want me to go check on him?” Geoff guessed and Jeremy nodded, giving another anxious whine. Geoff shrugged and nodded.

“Alright bud, I’ll go check on him and radio you if there’s any problems. Michael, you coming? Wanna play some gears?” Michael quickly agreed and as he passed Jeremy paused.

“Hey, when Lindsay’s pissed at me, sometimes I just got to give her space you know?” he confided and gave the wolf a wink, not comfortable enough to touch the massive creature even if it was his friend looking out at him.

“Come on mutt, let’s get this to draining huh?” jack called, moving over to the control panel, the wet wolf padding over to join him. He sat next to jack and put his head on the control panel side with a huff. Jack chuckled as his fingers went over the controls, setting the gup bay to draining out.

“Cheer up, would you? Ryan should never had brought you in here. I know it’s tough to ignore those wolf instincts and as your mate, Ryan should have known it goes double for you, seeing as your half Labrador.” Jeremy looked up at jack with an annoyed grunt which had jack smiling wider.

“Ok, ok, you’re not a Labrador, but you grew up on the coast, right? I knew bringing in here would be a mistake and I’m not even the one sleeping with you.” Jeremy rumbled warningly and jack put his hands up again, turning around and leaning against the panel himself, putting his hands on it as the bay drained.

“Sorry, personal life is personal. But listen, how is Ryan? He looking less rough then last time.” Jeremy moved his head off the panel and glared up at Jack, his growl stronger this time, teeth showing.

“I’m keeping his secret, jeez. Do you see anyone else in here? No? Then don’t growl at me.” Jack spoke firmly but he edged away slightly. Jeremy covered his teeth and turned on the spot, sitting down so his tail was curled around his legs and they were both watching the water drain.

“Do you know how he ended up that way? Just curious.” Jeremy looked at him and grumbled, his mouth opening in that parody of speech.

“Ah, I don’t speak werewolf.” Jack said and Jeremy rolled his eyes and huffed at him, widening his eyes leadingly. Jack laughed and ran a hand over his beard.

“Yeah ok, maybe I should stop asking you questions that take more than a yes or no answer.”

Jeremy nodded and Jack chuckled.

“Ok how’s this for a yes or no question. Can I make you a saddle?”

Jeremy shook his head vehemently.

“No not like that, one we can attach tools too. Something so you can help me clean up the fur you got in the bay.” Jack said pointedly, Jeremy opening his jaws for a large warbling grumble before he nodded and collapsed onto his belly, head over his paws and stared dejectedly at the water.

 

As the Gup travelled away from the settled octopod, Ray locked in the coordinates and turned to Lindsay who was seated in the co-pilot chair, including Gavin, sitting in a passenger one in his question.

“So, that was a big wolf, right?” He asked and Gavin laughed. Lindsay smiled and shrugged her shoulders.

“I’ve never seen a wolf form in person before. My experience was with alternate were’s. As the most abundant were species, they are almost another class on themselves. Very hard for non-werewolf medics to get into the pack to study them.”

“I’ve seen a werewolf before, but not as big as that.” Gavin piped up, the other two turning to look at him, “Yeah, it was just after I moved in with Geoff. We were a bit tipsy and thought we’d take a shortcut through this park to get home. Turns out it wasn’t a park but a were-run. How were we meant to know? They only put signs up on the gates and we went over the blooming fence!” Lindsay and Ray laughed as Gavin recounted his tale, ending with being stopped by two wolves while a third went and got a human to translate, only for Gavin to make one joke (“how was I meant to know they couldn’t take one bloody Cujo joke?”) and Geoff getting bitten by the human form of all the werewolves present, jumping between the woman and Gavin.

“It could have been I was drunk last time, but Jeremy did seem on the big side for a werewolf anyway.” Gavin rounded out his tale, ray scratching his head and getting a sly look in his eyes.

“You don’t think Ryan… you know…they are mates and all.” He said slowly and leadingly. Lindsay put up her hands, turning away from the Atlantean and looking out the screen.

“Eww, gross. Don’t want to know. Don’t want to know about any of my friend’s sex life thank you very much.” Gavin leant forward after Lindsay fell quiet, head cocked.

“I’m not sure if it is gross Linds, I mean it is still Jeremy in there and all.”

Lindsay shook her head and blocked her ears with her fingers, the two guys snickering at her.

“Don’t care, don’t want to know, la la la la.”

“What about you Ray?” Gavin asked and Ray jerked back, smile falling, putting a hand to his chest in affront.

“What me? Fuck a wolf or fuck Jeremy? Either way hard pass.”

Gavin laughed and waved a hand, “No, I meant what about you as an Atlantean. Your single, right? Have you only been with humans or Atlanteans?” Ray coloured and now he turned back to the controls, clearing his throat and checking on their progress as Lindsay pulled her fingers out of her ears, taking in the change of mood.

“Come on Ray, you’re really not going to answer?”

“We’re about ten minutes out guys.”

Gavin sighed and leant back in his chair, crossing his legs and folding his arms behind his head.

“Well, I’ve only been with humans so far. Not that I’m against other species, just it hasn’t come up. Though there was this one Bird, a Spriggin I think she was, or a siren…An S species anyway and she-“

“Gavin! Please man come on, we don’t need to know this.” Ray cut across him, Lindsay shooting him a grateful look. Gavin fell quiet for only a few moments before he was talking again, Ray giving a groan and thunking his head on the control panel.

“if you could be any other species besides the one you are now, what would it be?”

“Probably human since I spend so much fucking time with them anyway.” Ray answered from his place. Gavin sighed out, cocking his head.

“That’s so boring. Humans are the dominant species sure but me, I’d be a shifter. Imagine being able to change into any animal.” He said wonderingly, Lindsay turning to scoff at him as Ray sat up.

“Please Gavin, you don’t want to be a shifter. Everyone knows they sacrifice intelligence for the ability. Why sit in school when you can run with the horses, or soar through the sky. The make great soldiers sure, but do you really see yourself as a scout?”

“Lindsay! I’m surprised at you! Married to my boi and all… That’s just a damn stereotype and you know it.”

“Stereotypes are there for a reason Gavin.” Ray backed Lindsay up mildly, Gavin now turning his disappointed head to Ray.

“And were the crew to break stereotypes, aren’t we? I mean Lindsay, you pass yourself off as human all the time because why? You like pretending to be something you’re not?” Lindsay hung her head feeling a little guilty. It was true she hid her species as best she was able. People were always afraid of phoenix’s, sure they were going to combust at any moment.

“And you Ray! You were raised in a human settlement. Not a cliché childhood for an Atlantean is it?”

“Ok, your right, I’m sorry. Knee jerk reaction alright? Still, the point does remain Gav that if you were a shifter, you wouldn’t be an Octonaut right now.” Lindsay backtracked.

“What would you be then?” Gavin asked her, a little less angry now, his curiosity returning. Lindsay smiled sadly at him.

“Can’t you guess?” she said softly then turned in her seat, not wanting to play Gavin’s game. Gavin kicked himself, his brain catching up. He had been friends with the jones for years now, sticking by them through assignment, to assignment. He knew that Michael was only fertile during his musk season and Lindsay could only lay once a year, those times coinciding very rarely. He was an ass at times, really putting his foot in it.

“Gavin, maybe you should suit up and get your camera out huh?” Ray said after a long moment, the Gup turning a reef and seeing a majestic sight. Thousands of stingrays, swimming together, mer-people swimming beside the giant Fever, herding them in the right direction and wrangling out the ones who seem injured to a Corral they had made out of coral to the side.

“Looks like we’re going to need those extra supplies.” Lindsay said quietly, her eyes drawn from the large pulsating group to the sheer number of Rays being guided into the medical area. As they drew closer, a purple haired mermaid turned from her charge, shutting the gate behind it and looking up at the gup.

Gavin pushed by the other two, pasting himself against the glass, shouting and waving even as his friends tried to tell him, she wouldn’t hear him through the glass.

“HEY TURNEY! TURNEY IT’S ME! REMEMBER? FROM ATLANTIS BASE?!”

Ray looked at Lindsay giving up on trying to get Gavin to stop shouting.

“Sure he came for the pictures.” Ray remarked sarcastically.

 


	7. Never simple

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ray, Gavin and Lindsay work to help the Mermaid pod to heal the injured Rays before the Migration can countine  
> Jeremy wanders the halls of the octopod, interacting with the others in a quest to find his mate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So just and we are HuMAN collectivly, so mermaids are merMAIDS collectivly. Just wanted to clear that up as a male gets refered to as a mermaid when he is a male. Just his species people little confusing but there you go... So enjoy!

The gup parked up and Gavin quickly changed into his swimsuit, joining the other to in the back compartment. The mermaids gathered around, some male, some female, around fifteen of them. Meg was there, and as the back compartment started to flood, she raised a webbed hand that wasn’t wrapped around a trident at Gavin who waved back.

“Dude, your gilly!” Ray reminded him sharply as the water hit their throats and he noticed Gavin’s light was still dormant. Gavin started and quickly entered the breathing pattern, Lindsay already have done so, breathing out as the water closed over her head. Ray had no need of it, the moment the water hit his neck, his gills started to flutter.

Gavin’s hands tingled as skin stretched into his webbed hands, his neck prickling uncomfortably, his own half formed gills unable to do the job the Gilly had to complete for him. He did thank his lucky stars that he had inherited the second film around his eyes so he didn’t have to wear the uncomfortable implants Lindsay did, the phoenix having tied her hair tightly at the base of her neck.

Then the floor opened and they could swim out, the Atlanteans using their swim bladders to sink, Lindsay using her gilly to activate the weights around her ankles, sinking to the ocean floor. Once they were clear, Ray used his gilly to lock the Gup and the mermaids came around them, calling greetings in their own warbling language. Ray answered, in Atlantean then switched to English.

“We brought a Medic to help you’re Fever, there are medical supplies we would like to hand out once our Medic has evaluated the situation.” The lead Mermaid, a merman in this case, drifted forward, stabbing the trident into the ocean floor to keep himself from drifting further.

As Ray spoke with the leader, Gavin’s eyes slid from his crewmates to where Meg was floating, her tail curled up and her own trident keeping her still. Under water, her highlighting was shining, glinting in the sun cutting through the water. She seemed to glow purple and Gavin raised a hand at his hips, wiggling fingers at her. She smothered a giggle in her webbed hand then put it down, wiggling her fingers back from her own hips where skin merged into fine scales.

“Gavin!” Ray said sharply, in the tone of one who had been repeating the name for a few moments, Gavin starting again and jerking his head to look at Ray and Lindsay, the lead mermaid staring at him, “Kelo here has just agreed to let you take your photo’s.” Ray said pointedly and Gavin dredged what few memory’s he had of his mother, teaching him how to interact with the peoples of the sea.

“I-ah, appreciates, no wait… It is appreciated that you’d let this one, no, me? -” Ray’s eyes bulged as Gavin dug himself a hole and Lindsay bumped her shoulder into his to make him go quiet as Ray smoothly moved in front of the two with a smile.

“He’s overcome Kelo, thank you. Perhaps we should have a look at your injured now?” Ray ironed it out, working well to fix ruffled scales and he and Kelo started to swim together towards the undulating Fever, talking as two mermaids, one of them Meg, came forward to Lindsay and Gavin, the others dispersing, speaking in their own language.

“Gavin, can you at least try to pay attention?” Lindsay said quickly, her gilly hissing the words at him before she turned to greet the mermaids.

“I am Flora and this is Megladora.”

“Flo, just meg is fine.” Meg said rapidly and the slightly older mermaid smiled at them, raising a finger.

“Just a moment.” She said sweetly then turned to Meg the two spoke warbling and whistling for a few moments before they turned back to the Octonauts.

“Megladora will take the Photographer to the Fever. I shall take the Medic to the Corral. Is this acceptable to you?”

“Very. Thank you, Flora. My name is Lindsay Jones and This is Gavin free.” Lindsay introduced them both getting nods from the sterner Mermaid before she gestured with her trident for Lindsay to follow before she started off without her.

“Well, I’m going to be making a new friend.” Lindsay said quietly to Gavin with and eye roll that had her rubbing at the irritating implanted film over her eyes as she swum away. Gavin grinned and focused on meg who smiled back.

“So Megladora huh?” He teased and she flushed prettily, her scales glittering.

“Yeah, I prefer meg though. Shall we?” She gestured with her trident and they moved towards the Rays flocked all together.

“I wasn’t expecting to see you so soon Octonaut.”

“Gavin, please meg. Nah, I didn’t think so either but when Geoff said we were helping out the migration, I remembered saying you were a guardian for the Rays and I knew I had to come see it for myself.”

“Are you saying you came here for me?” Meg asked leadingly and now Gavin was flushing making unintelligible noises for a moment before he shook his head.

“N-no! I meant the Rays! I needed to see the damn things everyone keeps going on about!”

Meg giggled and waved a webbed hand in front of her as the drew closer and Gavin’s kicks slowed. It was an indescribable sight, thousands of Rays swimming in and out and around each other, stalled in a massive swelling group as the mermaids attempted to help the injured Rays down to the Corral.

Gavin watched as two mermaids managed to coax an injured ray, clear lines carved down its fin, swimming by them going in the opposite direction. Gavin watched it then looked to Meg.

“So, what happened? This looks right messed up.” Meg had watched the Ray be moved as well and her face became sad, shrugging her shoulders helplessly.

“We aren’t sure. My pod joined with the migration shortly after I last saw you. We like to help them through this area, sometimes the Hammerheads swarm to take a few of the weaker ones. With the humans culling the rays these past years, it’s become even more important to protect the ones we do have.”

“Well no human did those.” Gavin pointed out, another Ray being led by and meg agreed softly.

“No shark did those either.” They exchanged a look then they were at the Fever, pausing so Gavin could take out his camera and begin taking pictures, starting with meg, the mermaid colouring again and smiling with all her sharp pointed teeth.

“The most beautiful picture I’ll take all day, I’m sure.” Gavin braved and Meg’s tail swished happily, stirring the sand as she stabbed her trident into the floor.

“May I see?” she asked and he turned the camera around so meg could see the screen. She gasped to see a tiny version of herself on the small box.

“I’ve heard of photos and pictures and such things…but I’ve never seen them before…” she murmured and Gavin grinned.

“Oh, in that case you’ll love these.” Gavin said then started flicking back through photo’s he had taken over the past two weeks aboard the octopod, pictures of his crew in various ways, some posed some caught before they knew he was there. There were pictures of the reef, the water and the waves. Meg gasped when she saw the massive Titanoboa, the Colchian, curled up asleep in the arm pod, an extremely nervous looking Jeremy, his ears slicked right back and his tail tucked as he held back a scale so Lindsay, her face screwed up in concentration, took samples of blood for herself and for Ryan’s research.

“These things are true?” Meg asked, Gavin nodding, happy to impress.

“Sure are, we’ve had a pretty interesting start to our yearlong mission all right.”

“Your crew…Some I’ve met, like this man.” She smiled, pointing to Jeremy, laughing at his worried expression collecting samples for his fiancée, then her finger moved to Lindsay, “This woman though. I don’t know her but she came here with you. Is she your Bond?”

“No! no, no…Lindsay? No… She’s ah, mated, to Michael. Look here.” He took the camera back and flicked through to find the picture he wanted, showing meg again who brightened then her face softened in a smile. Lindsay had been bent over her station in the main pod, Michael had snuck up behind her and lifted her off her feet. Gavin had snapped it with Lindsay in the air, eyes squeezed shut and laughing as Michael buried his face in her neck blowing a raspberry.

“They look great together.” Meg said with a smile and handed Gavin his camera back.

“Yeah they make a pretty nice couple.” Gavin agreed, glancing at meg and feeling his stomach tighten nervously, especially when Meg pushed her hair to flow behind her and smiled at him, all pointed teeth.

“I am gladdened to hear you are unbonded. Are you waiting for an Atlantean?” she asked and Gavin spluttered again, taken aback by her forwardness.

“Ah, n-no… Just, ah, haven’t met the right girl yet is all…” Meg’s smile grew wider and wilder but Ray and the Merman, Kelo, approached.

“Megladora! If you have finished with the Half-breed, Miracent needs help with her section, the Fever are restless.” Kelo addressed his underling, the mermaid straightening her spine, nodding firmly. She pulled her trident and with a quick apologetic look at Gavin, swum rapidly away.

“Half-breed? We’re you not going to document the fever?” Kelo turned his harsh gaze to Gavin whose hands had tightened dangerously on his camera, his eyes flicking to Ray who was subtly shaking his head. Gavin gritted his teeth, not trusting himself to speak and moved himself, flatting himself under the majority of the Rays, a few brushing by him as he prepared to take his pictures.

So much for Ray having his back with bigots.

_“Now remember sweet boy, don’t speak unless you are spoken too.” Gavin held onto his mother’s shoulders as he had been taught. She moved more quickly than he did, her feet able to more completely into fins, unlike his own which only became webbed. They also swam above water because his gills couldn’t fully supply enough oxygen. They both hoped that when he hit puberty, perhaps they could develop further but for now, his mother wished to conserve his energy._

_“If any of the other children ask to play you say-“_

_“Sorry, but mother asked me to stay close.” Gavin recited. He hated this rare occasions when his mother had to check in with her family. He liked when it was just the two of them, living in their seaside shack by the cold English sea._

_“That’s good sweet boy, very good. Now I just have to report in with your grandfather then we can leave. If your chest starts to feel tight, squeeze my hand twice.” She ducked her head under the water then came back up, the water and her glistening skin making beautiful rainbows for the young boy. She smiled at him and Gavin smiled back, identical even if he carried his father’s eye colour, his own eyes had the same second lid as his mother._

_His grandfather didn’t see the similarity’s however, only the differences._

_“You brought the half-bred again.”_

_“Father, he is your grandson.”_

_“He shares my blood yes, I can do nothing about that, can I daughter?”_

_Gavin didn’t like the look his stern grandfather gave him, hating diving down to where his grandfather lived, his quarters always flooded when they came to visit. Gavin suspected they collapsed their air bubble whenever His mother was due to bring him._

_“Father, please, I bring you good information do I not? Is this not what you asked for?”_

_“I never asked for a half-bred grandson.” As he did every time, he put hands on Gavin’s mother’s shoulders, ignoring the boy completely, “Cleanse yourself of this shame daughter and return. No amount of information you give us can make up for this. It has been four years, please return.”_

_Gavin’s mother looked down at him, and it made him uneasy. He squeezed her hand twice._

Lindsay ran hands over the ray’s fin, making sure her sealing of its wounds were seamless. The Ray would always carry scars, but now the skin and muscle were repaired, it was free to join its kind in migration. Lindsay looked up to find the stern Flora looking at her with a slight softening of her features.

“It is near Atlantean magic what you do here. Do you have a touch?” she asked and Lindsay shook her head, giggling, but the gilly didn’t pick up frivolities such as amusement, so she went through the movement without the sound. When she spoke however, her voice was dutifully projected by the machinery.

“Not Magic, no, just a good tool and an understanding of the anatomy and how it goes together.” She told her happily, the sealant applicator still in her hand. Unknown to the mermaid, it was the heat in her hands keeping the sealant from hardening in the waters cool embrace. For the Pod, she had brought more traditional medical tools, walking them through sutures and instructing on which injuries could be treated by said sutures and which ones must come directly to her.

It had thawed the hovering mermaid towards her to see Lindsay work so passionately, murmuring to the rays and instructing with a smile to the pod.

“Nevertheless, it is good that you do here. I never thought I would see a human so at one with our brethren.” Lindsay coloured for more than one reason there, and she smiled a bit more nervously, wishing to get away from talk of species. Before she could however, flora continued, reassured by the past two hours of working with Lindsay, growing comfortable with her.

“It was a surprise to see a half breed Atlantean as part of your crew. Even more rare than a kind human, is a useful half-bred.” The mermaid continued in a calm and reasonable voice, like she hadn’t just insulted Lindsay with her comments about Gavin.

She understood a little better now why Gavin got fired up about stereotypes. The friendlier Flora got, the less Lindsay wanted to be around her. She liked her more when she was disapproving and silent. As the next ray was brought to her, Lindsay carefully calmed herself, bringing the seed of fire that lived inside her under tight control before she spoke.

“Gavin is a valued and in-expendable member of the crew. I’ll have you remember that before you go throwing terms like ‘useless half breed’ around.” She said calmly and formally. The mermaid bared her teeth, her eyes narrowing.

“How dare you- “Lindsay never got to hear what she dared as the migration started to press against the mermaids control, fleeing out of the coral canyon they were in, Lindsay and Flora both having to throw themselves back, kicking franticly in Lindsay’s case as the ray she had been about to work on thrashed and buried itself in the sea floor.

“Well that’s not good.” Lindsay murmured then a long deep cry reverberated around the area, stilling the sea people and Octonauts even as the Rays went mad.

Jeremy couldn’t help casting glances at the door from his place on the opposite side of the Gup bay, standing in the bottom of the pool with Jack. Jack had rigged a rudimentary saddle onto Jeremys back, somewhere he could put his tools and the bucket, balanced on a board he had secured to the Wolf. As he worked, clearing the fur and gunk build up from the valves, he spoke to the werewolf.

“He was a sweet little wolf too, I liked running with him. It’s pretty cool to run around in the woods with a wolf you could almost ride. Course, he wasn’t big as you, I bet Ryan could actually ride on you, you massive beast.” He laughed then dyed out when Jeremy didn’t respond to Jacks experience dating a werewolf himself. Jack looked at him and sighed putting a hand on the wolfs head between his ears.

“If you can stay for like five more minute’s, we’ll be done here then you can go find him.” Jeremy blinked and looked up at him, giving a wolfish smile and a grateful lick of Jacks hand as he tried to take it back.

“Eugh, not helping Lil’J.” he complained, wiping his hand on a rag that was draped on Jeremys back.

“Like a portable work bench you are.” Jack chuckled, turning back to the valves to scoop the last of the gunk out, nose wrinkling. Jeremy huffed and rolled his eyes knowing the mechanic probably didn’t see it, looking back up at the exit.

Ryan still hadn’t come back and Jeremy was concerned he might be in actual trouble. He hadn’t thought about it, never can when he’s in wolf form, following his instincts wherever they lead. But he had smelt Ryan when Jeremy had finished soaking him, noted the aroma of embarrassment and frustration around the scientist. Maybe this was the thing that made that intelligent and charismatic man realise he didn’t want a stupid, squat wolf for a mate after all.

Jeremy had met Ryan after his banishment from the pack. He had been alone, hurt and licking his wounds when Ryan, out gathering mushrooms for his experiments had stumbled across him. If Jeremy leg hadn’t been severely gouged, he would have torn into the man and fled. As it was, he couldn’t move and so had settled for snarling a warning.

Ryan had ignored it.

 “there, all clean- Jeremy No!” When jack had started to announce, them done, Jeremy had bounded for the side and with a powerful push of his legs, leap to the top of the bay, A nine-foot jump that had him scrambling with his back paws, wiggling forward onto his belly then onto his feet. He heard Jack cursing and paused, turning around to look down, feeling guilt at his actions once again.

In his excitement to get to Ryan, he had once again obeyed his instincts and now the bottom of the bay had all the equipment Jack had secured to his back loosely and the bucket with the collected gunk had overturned. Jack glared up at him, Jeremy getting to his belly and slinking to the side, putting his paws and snout over giving an apologetic whine.

“Yeah you better be sorry. Idiot, I would have winched you back up there you know.” Jack pointed out, starting to gather his things. Jeremy gave an attention getting bark then whined, looking to the door then back to jack who sighed and put up his hands.

“What about the saddle? You can’t work the tie. I’ll be up in a minute, just hold on.” Jack pointed out and Jeremy huffed watching as Jack started to put the muck back into its bucket for a time before he got a good idea. He stood up, the movement catching jacks eye. The wolf twisted and with a solid snick of his teeth, bit through the bindings, the saddle only being a quick fix, the whole thing sliding off his back.

“Or just bite it off, you know whatever.” Jack grumbled but the wolf hadn’t stuck around to appreciate his sarcasm, already barrelling down the hall.

 As Wolf, Jeremy was the same, but different. His thought patterns were similar but he could only comprehend in certain ways. For example, human form Jeremy was now pretty familiar with the ship, having a mental map in his mind on how to get about. As wolf, he vaguely understood that his covering his Mate in water and his scent had upset him. Ryan had mentioned shower; a concept Wolf Jeremy knew as water sprouting from walls. There was a water sprouting room around, but Wolf Jeremy didn’t understand how to get there. So, he followed the freshest scent he could get from his mate.

Geoff and Michael were still in the rec room, having moved on from Gears into plants versus zombies and were unprepared for the werewolf that came running into the room, head rotating and nose working as he tried to find his partner. “Fuck me!” Michael cried out, his hand control shattering in his grip as he flinched away.

Jack had given them each a station with multiple screens and the controls built into the desk. Similar to the setup of the main control room, here, they were back to back, four on one side, four on the other starting from the wall. On the opposite end of the room were couches and beanbags thrown haphazardly around as needed around a large full screen that took up the entire wall.

Geoff looked over his own screen to see Jeremy give a whine and dart over to the seats, sniffing around then following it back to the cabinets that held informational discs, movie’s and games in its smallest data form. Geoff guessed why the wolf was here so as Michael cursed and started picking up the pieces of his controller he addressed the anxious wolf.

“Ryan was here, but he grabbed a movie and said he was going to go lie down.” Jeremy looked at him when he spoke and went to dart back out but Geoff threw himself into the wolfs way, a move that had Michael sucking in a breath for the captain.

“Hold up big dog, two seconds of your time. You need to think a bit ok?” Jeremy snarled, only knowing Geoff was between him and his mate. The snarl turned into a yelp of surprise when Geoff smacked his nose, making Jeremy back up, grumbling and wiping a paw over his snout, trying to rub the feeling off.

“Now Ryan may not have engaged the black out. That much water is sure to fry your little puppy mind alright? So, let me just radio him really quick and make sure he knows to prepare for you coming.” Jeremy growled again and paced, wanting to run by but Geoff was his pack alpha and he had to obey. Unless he wanted to challenge but the wolf Jeremy knew that if he did, he’d have to take a mate that would bear pups. He didn’t want to change mates and so he waited.

The two legs did an awful amount of talking, something he didn’t get in this form. He understood all what was being said but it didn’t really interest him. Unless his name was mentioned, or his mates, he had other things to think about. Like how he was meant to show his mate he cared without any game to be had in this tin world?

“Are we sure that’s a good idea Geoff?” Michael asked, dumping the remains of his control onto the desk and eyes locked on the wolf that was pacing and grumbling to itself. Geoff shrugged and lifted a hand to radio Ryan.

“Sure, why wouldn’t it be?”

“Because he seems pretty fucking wound up and I don’t know if Ryan’s strong enough to handle it right now.” Michael answered like that was obvious, concerned for his weak friend. Michaels bones were tougher than a human, his reflexes faster. But he had heard stories of his uncle who had been torn apart by a werewolf, was extremely aware of how dangerous the fun puppy acting Lil’J could be like this. He never had wanted to meet a werewolf for himself, and he was worried for the fragile human Ryan in his weakened state right now.

Geoff just scoffed calling Ryan, “Hey, I got a lost pup here, it yours?”

“Is it way too many pounds of idiot?”

“Sure is, complete with forlorn expression.”

“Yeah, it’s mine, return to sender.” Ryan sounded resigned which didn’t reassure Michael who was developing a soft spot towards the formal but humorous scientist. Geoff smiled and terminated the call, his gilly going back to dormant as he clicked his fingers, a useless gesture as Jeremy had snapped to attention the moment he had heard Ryan’s voice.

“Straight to home. Understand Lil’J? No following the scent, just straight to the Den ok?” Geoff said carefully, the wolf nodding its huge head and wiggling on its paws, Michael watching and feeling confused by the deadliness he knew as werewolf and the silliness he recognised as his friend.

Jeremy, once released, out the room as quickly as he had entered. Geoff laughed and smiled at Michael, coming over to clap a hand to the demon’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry dude, Ryan is the last person Jeremy would hurt ever. It really is him in there, truly. If Ryan started to beat on him with a stick, there is zero chance Jeremy would turn on him. Werewolf bonds are too strong.”

“If you say so Geoff.” Michael said uneasily, remembering his mother who should him the macabre reminder she had of her brother, a snapped and gouged horn that had been torn from an adult raging demons head by an equally furious wolf.

Jeremy didn’t listen to their conversation, Den something he could remember as a wolf or as a human, padding quickly to the appropriate door. His Gilly flashed, opening the door, Ryan having made his custom, something that could morph with his body without being order too, something that also registered the wolf form, opening the doors to their quarters without having to be touched.

Soothing scent of himself and his mate rolled down the small hall, the wolf walking up, the hatch to their personal pod opening just before his nose touched it. Ryan was inside, waiting on him, kneeling on the floor, the bed ruffled and their viewing screen activated, coming out of the bottom of the bed but the pictures were paused.

Jeremy ran straight to him, Ryan throwing his arms open and laughing as he was bowled over by the quivering wolf, Jeremy overcome by the fact his mate was not angry at him. He couldn’t scent the harshness of Ryan’s anger and the body lounge spoke more to him then the words did, even if the words were welcome.

“There’s my good boy, did you miss me huh?” Ryan cooed, rubbing the wolf all over, going for all the spots he knew his mate loved, the massive creature putty under his fingers, collapsing to the ground as Ryan’s hands rubbed him over, his leg flicking out in rhythm and his tail sweeping the floor in long arcs.

As a human, Jeremy could stand separation like any other person. He wasn’t happy about it, but it was easy to be separated from Ryan for spaces of time, spending hours apart doing their various duties before they could meet up for a meal or some off time. A wolf however only knew to stay close to their mate, to be in a group. It was hard enough for Wolf Jeremy that he had no other wolves to be with, let alone to be away from his mate during this time.

“Thank you for staying with Jack. I’m sorry I got annoyed baby, it’s just I hate being laughed at.” Ryan appreciated Jeremy had obeyed his order to stay, knowing Jack could keep the wolf entertained while Ryan cleaned up. Ryan could laugh and joke with the crew but the sudden wet down and the accompanying laughter had been so unexpected, it had gotten under his skin.

He had grown up being laughed at, being shoved over, bullied and chased by various animals. The shifter heavy area he had grown up in had not been kind to a boy who could not keep up with his age mates. Perhaps that’s why Ryan had done the unthinkable to attempt to correct his own body.

_“Please! Haywood! Don’t do this! I’m sorry! Please! AHHH IT HURTS!! RYAN!!!”_

Jeremy licked up his neck wetly, jerking him back to the present, his hands having stopped their rubbing, alerting his mate to his wandering thoughts. Ryan smiled sadly at him, the wolf rolling onto his stomach then sitting up, placing a giant head over Ryan’s shoulder, tucking him for the nearest gesture to an embrace Jeremy could do in this form.

“It’s ok Jeremy, I’m ok, I promise. Jack was right, I should have thought it through. But you had fun swimming, right?” Jeremy whined and pulled his chin in, tightening the pressure until Ryan hugged him, pressing his face into fur.

“I am ok. So, stop with the whining alright? Now, swimming, yes or no to a good time?” Jeremy sat back, Ryan doing the same so Jeremy could huff and nod, lifting a paw to wave it at Ryan, grumbling his wolven speech, dobbing Jack in for the saddle.

“I bet he secretly wants to ride you.” Ryan theorized as he listened, getting to his feet and brushing his front off in a useless gesture, their quarters would have fur throughout it for many days after Jeremy transformed back. Jeremy gave him an answer, whining then growling, shaking his head and grunting as he jumped onto the bed and started to sniff about.

“Well, what about me? Could he make a saddle for me?” Ryan asked, curious to Jeremys answer. Jeremy scuffed up the blankets with his front paws then rotated a few times before settling down, folding his paws over each other and opening his mouth wide in a loud complaint, pointing his nose at his back then away in a rounded gesture before shaking his head.

Ryan laughed at the little speech and got onto the bed himself, laying on his stomach, both of them facing the screen, Ryan grabbing pillows to hug into his chest. Jeremy lay down his head, his eyes on Ryan’s face as he adjusted his own comfort.

“Yes, I guess a saddle would be a little undignified, but it would be useful in keeping me in place when I get to ride you.” Ryan pointed out. He adored the rare runs Jeremy would take him on, sitting on the wolfs back and holding on with his knees, his hands buried in fur and the wind in his face. It gave him a taste of the life he missed out on; he longed to fix what he had done to himself so he could run with his wolf properly.

Jeremy yowled then grumbled again, working his jaw in a broken whine.

“Yeah, I guess there aren’t many rides underwater.” Ryan agreed, eyes glancing up at the blacked-out glass. He lay a hand on Jeremys head when the wolf shuddered and trembled, whining high to himself, his human form providing memories of this den with water pressing in from every direction.

“hey, sh, don’t worry about it baby, sh. Look around, no water here. This is safe, safe place for us.” Ran assured him, understanding his mate’s trepidation. He pressed his forehead to the wolves, soothing the beast with his closeness. Only another twenty-four hours then Jeremy would most likely return to his human form. Until then, Ryan would be there for him as the lad was always there for Ryan during his episodes.

The Banished Werewolf had never placed judgement on the Mad scientist, the two oddly but well matched.

Jeremy leapt off the bed, every fur on end and snarling as alarms went off, a siren through the speakers in all areas of the Octopod.

“ _It’s the octo alert, all Octonauts report of the HQ. Our away team is in trouble!”_  The captain ordered through the speakers and the gillies, Ryan jumping up and snatching up his uniform, Jeremy pacing and snarling, his ears slicked back as the sirens continued to sound. For his mate’s sake Ryan activated Geoff’s pattern.

“There’s an alert, we get it! Can we turn the damn sound off before I have a big problem on my hands?”

“ _Oh, fuck me, that’s right! Fuck, I could use Jeremys expertise too… well, lock him in and come yourself and fucking hurry up about it!”_ Ryan looked to Jeremy who had stopped pacing and was looking at him, listening intently to the conversation. Ryan saw the determination in his eyes and shook his head.

“No Jeremy, please, it’s too soon, we don’t even know what we’re dealing with. I promise, if we need you I’ll let you know.” Ryan tried to bargain but Jeremy ignored him, turning on the spot, letting out a low whine as his skin started to tremble and fur begun to shed.

Jeremy yelped when Ryan stabbed him with the hypothermic needle, eyes meeting his accusingly as the sedative flooded through his body.

“Sorry baby, I love you.” Ryan murmured as the wolf collapsed, stopped in his effort to push himself to human form by sleep. Ryan finished getting his uniform on and threw a blanket that he knew carried his own scent over the wolf. Hoping it would comfort him. He locked the black out in then locked the door behind him, hurrying to HQ to report in and find out whatever the problem is.


End file.
